The Curse of Dark Shadows
by Child-Of-Chaoz
Summary: 1x2x1, OOC, AU, Heero becomes caretaker of an eerie mansion. Anxious to track Heero down, Duo follows close behind. However, the vengeful spirit of Relena Peacecraft haunts the house, and even death cannot stop her curse from being fulfilled...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Arrival  
  
Heero Yuy, jarred awake for the fourth time, stared out of the  
train's window as the sea passed by. High above, the full moon  
cast shimmering shapes onto the surface of the water far below.  
He still didn't know why he was doing this. Had the pressure  
really been too much? True, he was worn out from being kept on  
the run by the Preventers... but even they couldn't keep him  
away from the person he longed for more than life itself. No,  
that person was exactly why he needed to get away.  
  
Through all of his experiences - some he still wasn't too proud  
of - the one sobering factor in his life had been Duo Maxwell.  
Every time Heero closed his eyes, he imagined Duo holding out  
his arms, looking up with those beautiful eyes. Since the day  
they'd first met, Heero didn't know whether to be scared or  
overjoyed from the feelings raging inside of him. In many ways,  
the sea outside reminded him of Duo... For a moment, he could  
imagine Duo Maxwell rising out of the water and floating toward  
him.  
  
'No, no, no!' Heero nearly cried out loud. 'This is exactly why  
you're going away.' His feelings for Duo were eating him up  
inside, and as much as he wanted to touch his hair, kiss his  
nose, lick those full lips, carry him off somewhere... Heero  
resigned himself to the fact that Duo would never feel the same  
way.  
  
'Stop foolin' yourself!' It had been a tough decision. Duo's  
going to hate me for the rest of my life. Although having him  
hate me is preferable to nothing at all, but I just can't stay.  
If I can't have him, no use pining away like some kind of idiot.  
If this is the closest I can get to having him, it's not good  
enough. I'd rather travel the country... I can't take any more  
of this.  
  
And that's exactly what he'd done. Searching various train  
schedules, Heero's eyes had lit up on a nowhere town off the  
coast of Maine. Something about the name... Collinsport... had  
seemed familiar.  
Maybe he could stow aboard a steamer and make his way overseas  
once he got there? It was a plan, and right now it was all he  
had.  
  
He settled back into the cushioned seat as the train rattled on,  
toward the little town and destiny.  
  
~ * * * * * ~  
  
"Collinsport!" a thick, New England accent shouted.  
  
Heero rubbed his eyes and blearily saw that it was pitch black  
outside, except for the approaching lights of a train station.  
  
"Collinsport!" the conductor called once more.  
  
Gathering his battered duffle bag, with all of his worldly  
possessions inside, Heero stretched while the train pumped to a  
halt. He'd felt as if he'd been sitting forever, and the muscles  
in his back were tense and sore. Moving down the corridor, he  
was surprised not to see any other passengers joining him. Oddly  
enough, most were deliberately staring straight ahead as if they  
didn't want to see the town of Collinsport outside. Even the  
train conductor seemed anxious for him to leave.  
  
Hefting the duffel bag over his shoulder, Heero merely shrugged.  
Well, when you've seen one small town, you've seen them all.  
Descending the metal steps, he caught the glimmer of a grim look  
on the old conductor's face. Just his luck to pick a creepy  
train. Shrugging it off, he stepped off the train and onto the  
fog-shrouded Collinsport platform.  
  
It didn't take long for the train's massive engine to start up  
again, pulling away from the station. Bathed only in a nearby  
streetlamp, Heero shivered and pulled his leather jacket up  
around his ears. "Well, I'm here... now what?"  
  
Something at the end of the platform caught his attention.  
Behind a ticket kiosk, he could see a man working. Making his  
way toward it, Heero called out, "Hello!"  
  
The man behind the glass window almost shrieked from the figure  
emerging from the fog. "Hey, I was wondering if..." Heero began,  
but the little man quickly closed the window and Heero was alone  
once more. "Hey!" he called, banging on the door. But there was  
no answer. "Great," he sighed.  
  
From the distance he could hear the slapping of water and ship  
bells. There had to be a wharf nearby, and where there's a  
wharf, there's a drink! Hurrying away from the platform, he  
crossed the street and strode into the town of Collinsport.  
  
It seemed to be just your average small town, with picturesque  
homes and gated fences. Most of them were in total darkness.  
Checking his watch, Heero humphed sarcastically. The locals must  
turn in early around here. He rounded a corner and walked along  
the sidewalk next to a rather large building called the  
Collinsport Inn. 'Must be what passes for a hotel in these  
parts,' he mused.  
  
Continuing on his way, he found it odd that not one single car  
had gone by. What on earth had possessed him to come to Nowhere,  
USA? His thoughts immediately turned back to Duo. He gave  
himself a half-smile, imagining the Preventer Agent sensing  
something amiss by the lack of activity.  
  
Heero shook his head and exhaled, watching his warm breath  
evaporate. 'Alright, you've got to stop thinking like that.'  
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath to clear his mind and  
realized that - despite the inclement weather - what he probably  
needed was a cold shower. The mere thought of Duo Maxwell sent  
his blood racing... Heero opened his eyes as the familiar scent  
of the sea filled his senses. He must be near a dock by now, and  
he could really use that drink!  
  
After a few more minutes, he found a cluster of buildings on the  
wharf. Scanning them, he was pleased to see one called The Blue  
Whale, complete with fish nets and an old sign hanging above the  
front door. There were lights on within, the first sign of life  
in the entire town. Feeling better, he went inside.  
  
All activity beyond ceased the moment the handsome stranger  
entered the bar. Heero swallowed hard. You could have heard a  
pin drop if it hadn't been for the slow, sixties-style music  
playing from the corner jukebox. He shivered again, feeling as  
if those eyes were boring straight through him. Clearing his  
throat, he made his way through the sea of staring faces and  
took a seat at the bar.  
  
"I'll have a vodka," he told the barman.  
  
Nodding, the barman quickly fixed the drink and Heero swallowed  
it in one go. "Another," he said. He slowly turned on the stool  
to find the room still watching him like a hawk. "Did I step in  
something or am I that incredibly good-looking?" he asked the  
barman.  
  
A young man seated across from him smirked and shared a glance  
with the bartender. "Should we tell him, Bob?" the man asked.  
  
"We don't get many strangers around here," he answered.  
  
'That's a cliché if ever I heard one,' Heero thought. "With all  
the ships that come in?" he wondered.  
  
"True, but they're mostly sailors and workers from the old  
Peacecraft Fishing Fleet," the barman said, "but that was taken  
over by a company in Bangor years ago."  
  
"Is he giving you any trouble, Bob?" a gruff voice asked from  
behind.  
  
Heero glanced up to find one of the sailors standing over him.  
He was almost seven feet tall, total muscle and full of ale.  
'Just let him start something with me,' Heero thought darkly.  
  
"No, Reuben," Bob said while cleaning a few glasses.  
  
"What brings you here?" Reuben asked, getting close to Heero 's  
face. Heero blinked several times. The smell of alcohol was  
enough to knock out a horse. The sailor licked his dry lips and  
stared down at him with a lecherous gleam in his eye.  
  
"Just passing through," Heero answered through gritted teeth.  
  
"Passing through, huh? Don't stand still too long or the  
ghosts'll get 'ya!" he laughed.  
  
Heero stood up in a flash and grabbed the drunken sailor roughly  
by the collar. "Listen, you're beginning to aggravate me!"  
  
Reuben's face turned bright red and he puffed up his chest. How  
he loved a challenge! He could definitely teach this one a  
lesson or two back on board ship. He hauled back his fist, but  
it froze in mid-air from Bob's restraining look.  
  
"Not in here!" the bartender ordered.  
  
Heero released his grip and Reuben smoothed down his already  
rumpled clothes. "Fine, fine," he smiled. Walking past him, he  
whispered, "I'll deal with you later."  
  
Rolling his eyes, Heero sat back down at the bar to finish his  
second drink. The barman looked over his shoulder at the angry  
crowd, then leaned in conspiratorially. "Once you finish that,  
you may want to get out of here."  
  
"I'm not scared of them," Heero said.  
  
Bob nodded, "I believe you can take care of yourself, lad."  
  
After a moment, Heero looked at the barman curiously. "What did  
he mean about 'ghosts'?"  
  
Sighing, Bob hissed, "Not so loud!" He darted his eyes back and  
forth, afraid a fight might break out.  
  
Gregory, the young man across from him continued, "Let's just  
say that I could tell you stories about this town that would  
rock you from here all the way back to where you came from."  
  
Heero nearly laughed, but Bob broke in. "Do you have someplace  
to stay the night?"  
  
"No," Heero replied. "I was hoping to find a job on one of the  
boats, but if our friend over there is any indication... Are  
there any openings around here?"  
  
Bob thought for a moment. "The market's not too big in  
Collinsport... of course, there's always Collinwood."  
  
Gregory nearly choked on his beer. "You can't be sending him up  
there," he spluttered.  
  
"Not at night, of course," Bob agreed.  
  
"Am I missing something here?" Heero asked. "What the hell is a  
Collinwood?" 'And why does that name seem so familiar?' he  
wondered.  
  
Bob leaned on the bar. "It's an old mansion up on Widows' Hill  
that needs a caretaker," he explained.  
  
"Yeah, and with enough ghosts to fill up thirteen Gothic  
novels," Gregory chimed in.  
  
Heero looked at them both, were they deliberately trying to  
scare him away? "Yeah, well I don't think I want to know," he  
said.  
  
"Here son," Bob said, handing Heero a napkin with some hastily  
drawn directions. "Virginia Blake and her nephew take care of  
the grounds during the day, and the town council have been  
needing someone to fix the old place up."  
  
Heero took the napkin. "Why hasn't anyone from here taken up the  
job?" he asked.  
  
"Because most of us have more sense than to hang around that  
house on the hill," Gregory told him. "If you spent even one  
night there, that dark hair of yours will be one gorgeous shade  
of white in the morning!"  
  
"Now, that's not true," Bob said. "If you want the job, I can  
contact Mrs. Blake and let her know. I promise it pays well."  
  
Heero mulled this over for a while. A creepy mansion in a  
nowhere town like this? "And no-one ever goes there?" he asked.  
  
"There's one born every minute," Gregory said into his beer.  
  
"I'll take my chances," Heero smiled.  
  
Bob reached under the bar and handed Heero a key. "Good. You can  
stay in the spare room above the bar tonight and go up to  
Collinwood in the morning.  
  
"Thanks," Heero said cautiously. Taking the key, he picked up  
his duffel bag and found a stairway. Walking past the semi-  
conscious Reuben, Heero rumbled a low "Grrrr!" and disappeared  
up the stairs.  
  
After he'd gone, Gregory motioned at Bob. "Are you crazy,  
sending a stranger up to Spooksville?!"  
  
"He'll be fine," Bob said, wiping the bar.  
  
"You seem to forget what happened the last time someone tried to  
live at that house," Gregory reminded him.  
  
Bob shook his head. "Virginia and Cristoff are there all the  
time..." he began.  
  
"But never during the night. I was just a kid, but I remember my  
mom telling us how that young girl's body was found floating in  
the old pool," he said.  
  
"That was an accident," Bob chided.  
  
"And what about those two novelists who lived on the estate? How  
their car mysteriously crashed?"  
  
"You're letting your imagination run away with you," Bob said.  
"That boy will be just fine."  
  
"You better hope so," Gregory said. "There's a curse over that  
house! Those stories about Collinwood still scare me to death."  
  
Bob slapped his hand with a tea towel. "Boo!"  
  
Gregory jumped off the bar stool and took a seat at a table,  
nursing his beer. Bob went back to polishing the glasses. He  
felt sure the stranger would be alright up at the estate. He was  
strong and looked the type that needed a place to get away.  
Besides, there was always that finder's fee from the Council...  
  
Upstairs in the sparse bedroom, Heero opened a window and  
allowed the sea air to wash over him. Down in the street, the  
mist rolled along in waves. He sighed heavily. Who would have  
thought he'd end up in a ghost town? Well, at least he'd have a  
place to hide out. If Collinwood was as infamous as the locals  
made it sound, he was sure to be safe there...  
  
~ * * * * * ~  
  
"Duo, you can't be serious?" Quatre Winner cried. He had heard  
some wild ideas from his partner over the years, but this one he  
just couldn't believe.  
  
Shrugging into his jacket, Duo Maxwell looked at him over his  
desk. He'd just hung up the 'phone with his friend Tony, a  
source that had been keeping tabs on Heero Yuy from time to  
time.  
  
"Yes, I'm serious!" he said. "Quatre, this is my chance to  
finally track him down."  
  
Quatre folded his arms. "And do what?"  
  
"What I've always wanted to do," he said, hastily. "It's as  
simple as that."  
  
"But a fishing village in Maine?" Quatre asked, holding up Duo's  
notes. "Not a good idea. I didn't have a very good time when I  
breezed through one."  
  
Duo gave him a crooked half-smile, remembering Quatre's  
"vacation" some time ago. Well, now it was his turn for a little  
time off. He took the information from him. "Quatre, just trust  
me. I need to find him before he hops a boat to who-knows-  
where," he said.  
  
Quatre cocked his head to the side. "Why do I get the feeling  
there's something you're not telling me?"  
  
"There's not!" he exclaimed, a little too defensively. "There's  
not, I promise."  
  
Quatre's eyes scanned down to a thick folder Duo carried under  
his arm. "What's this?" He asked, slyly taking it from him.  
  
"Just a little reading material for the trip," Duo explained  
innocently.  
  
"'The Unexplained Deaths of Collinsport, Maine'," Quatre read  
the heading of the X-file. Duo snatched it back. "Gotcha!"  
Quatre smiled.  
  
"I'll see you in a few days!" Duo called, waving the folder.  
  
Quatre sat down behind his desk and watched him go. He hoped  
that if Duo did find Heero, that he wouldn't do anything too  
rash. He wished he could've gone with him. Tapping a pencil on  
the desk, he snapped his fingers. Turning on the computer, he  
quickly called up information on Collinsport, Maine. "Now, let's  
see what this fishing village has to offer," he said as the  
screen lit up...  
  
~ * * * * * ~  
  
Twisting beneath the covers fitfully, Heero breathed hard as a  
dream invaded his mind...  
  
"Jamison, how handsome you look tonight," he said, full of love  
for the person walking beside him.  
  
"I love being with you," Jamison replied shyly.  
  
They strolled together through the rose garden. The spring  
evening's scent heavy in the air.  
  
"Just look up at the stars," he indicated the bright points  
reflected against the clouds. "I see them all within your eyes."  
  
He felt Jamison's warm arms around him. The soft velvet of his  
coat rubbing lightly against his skin. At once their lips  
touched, matching the embrace. He felt Jamison's full lips  
caressing his own. When he opened his eyes, he found Duo Maxwell  
staring straight into his soul...  
  
"Duo!" Heero shouted, sitting up in bed with shock. His heart  
raced and his skin glistened with sweat. Throwing off the  
covers, he stood at the window to let the chill air in. Taking  
in deep lungfuls of salty, sea air Heero tried to clear his  
senses but it was no good. The moonlight cast shadows over his  
naked body, which remained on fire. The dream had been so vivid,  
so real... What had it meant? "Get a hold of yourself!" he said  
aloud.  
  
After a moment, he laid back down on top of the bed. He could  
still feel those lips against his. Closing his eyes, he traced a  
finger along his mouth... The work waiting for him at that  
mansion had better be big to distract him, otherwise his  
thoughts for Duo was going to drive him completely crazy.  
  
~ * * * * * ~  
  
The next morning, Heero had dressed hurriedly and met Bob  
downstairs. Thanking the barman for the room, he found a cab  
waiting for him to take him up to Collinwood. Apparently, there  
was only one taxi in the entire town and the council had  
insisted he use it. Strange folks indeed, Heero mused.  
  
The trip to the estate took them further along the coast. With  
the ever-present ocean, Heero also spotted a dense forest and an  
old cemetery which the driver -Jack - pointed out was Eagle  
Hill, where most of the illustrious Peacecraft family were  
buried.  
  
The mention of their names gave Heero the opportunity to find  
out more. "What is with that house?" he wondered. "Why won't  
anyone stay there at night?"  
  
The gruff old driver huffed uncomfortably. "Well, after Mrs.  
Stoddard passed away," he began but Heero cut in.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Elizabeth Peacecraft Stoddard, she was the mistress of the  
house," Jack explained. "The rest of the family moved away and  
there hasn't been a soul living there since."  
  
"Wait a minute," Heero said. "I've heard about a woman who  
drowned..."  
  
"Yes, that was tragic, just tragic. A Miss Tracy Peacecraft. She  
had married Quentin, Mrs. Stoddard's cousin, but he disappeared  
shortly afterwards."  
  
Heero sat back and thought this over, staring out at the cliffs.  
The waves crashed violently against the rocks below. It sounded  
like the wailing of a woman.  
  
"There goes the Widows," Jack said.  
  
"The what?" Heero asked.  
  
"Many a wife who had lost her husband at sea has joined him,"  
Jack replied cryptically.  
  
"You mean they jumped?"  
  
Jack nodded. "Ever hear the story of Jamison duPrés?"  
  
Heero froze. 'Jamison? Hadn't that been the name in his dream?'  
"No," he finally answered.  
  
"He came over from the island of Martinique with his father, who  
owned a sugar plantation," Jack explained, telling a story he'd  
heard since childhood. "They were hoping to forge an alliance  
with the Peacecraft family business. He fell in love with  
someone in the great house, but the family were against the  
relationship. In his grief, he threw himself off Widows' Hill."  
  
Heero sat in stunned silence. "That's horrible!" he whispered.  
  
"On some nights, you can hear a lonely crying coming down from  
the hill," Jack said. "Many of us believe it's Jamison calling  
out for his lost lover."  
  
Heero felt a terrible chill past down his spine. Before he could  
question Jack further, the cab abruptly stopped. "Here we are,"  
Jack announced.  
  
Looking out of the window, Jack's story had completely made  
Heero miss the rusted, ornate gates, which ran for miles above  
the cliffs. "I don't see the house," Heero said, craning his  
neck.  
  
"This is as far as I'm going," Jack told him. "Just take the  
path straight on and you can't miss it."  
  
Heero smirked. Boy, the legends about Collinwood really had  
these people freaked. Hopping out of the cab, he took his duffel  
bag from Jack and set off through the open gates.  
  
"Good luck!" Jack called after him. "You're going to need it,"  
he whispered.  
  
Heero found the road well worn and a little muddy. On both sides  
stretched the forest he'd spotted earlier. It seemed to go on  
forever. At one point, he thought he'd spotted stables through  
the trees. Maybe the groundskeeper kept horses?  
  
Rounding several corners, Heero stopped and caught his breath at  
the sight before him. A few miles ahead was the largest house  
he'd ever seen. It was simply beautiful, and looked as if it had  
been built to stand the test of time. There were stained glass  
windows wherever he looked, turrets and ivy covered walls. No  
wonder the town wanted it fixed. The place was like a monument.  
His heart beat a little faster. If this was where he'd be  
staying, it would be the nicest setup he'd ever had!  
  
He found himself running toward the house. The closer he came,  
the more details he could see; including signs of disrepair. He  
would definitely have his work cut out for him. Finally, he  
reached the front door, set under a pillared overhang.  
  
The mahogany doors were huge, complete with brass knockers.  
Lifting one of the heavy ornaments, he banged several times. The  
echo resounded from within. It didn't take long for someone to  
answer.  
  
"Hello?" a woman with a raucous voice answered. Heero observed  
the rather small woman. She had shoulder-length auburn hair and  
wore a flowing silk dress. She looked to be in her mid-forties.  
"You must be the new handyman?"  
  
It took Heero a moment to register her question. "Y-yes," he  
said.  
  
"Come in," she offered. "I'm Mrs. Virginia Blake and you are?"  
  
Heero stepped inside the grand foyer and gaped at the beautiful  
floor, paintings and crystal chandelier. "Just call me Heero,"  
he said.  
  
"Welcome to Collinwood, Heero," she smiled. Leading him into the  
drawing room, Virginia watched as he took in the ancient home.  
"It is beautiful, isn't it?"  
  
"What? Oh yes, it is," he said, marveling at the antique  
furnishings and the enormous fireplace.  
  
"We're hoping that you can make it grand again," she purred.  
  
"I'll do my best."  
  
At that moment, a dark figure descended the spiral staircase.  
Heero was familiar with his sort - surly to the extreme. The man  
was about his age, with dark hair and wearing a black turtleneck  
and jeans.  
  
" Heero, this is my nephew Cristoff," Virginia told him. She  
turned to the new arrival. "This is the man that will make  
Collinwood great once more."  
  
Cristoff mumbled a few indistinct words, and Virginia's tone  
suddenly changed. "Cristoff, don't you have work to do outside?"  
  
He nodded, staring daggers at Heero as he left. Virginia noticed  
this and tried to change the subject. "Now, why don't you get  
settled in? We have a room ready for you upstairs..." She  
trailed off, seeing Heero 's far away expression. "Are you  
alright?"  
  
"Yes, it's just that I have the strangest sense of déja vu," he  
said distantly. He shook his head, feeling very silly. Virginia  
was looking at him as if she expected him to say that. "Um...  
how long have you been working here?" Heero asked, changing the  
subject.  
  
She walked around the sofa, feeling the soft fabric lovingly.  
"Oh, my mother used to work for the Peacecraft family. I still  
feel at home here, and you should too."  
  
Heero moved through the drawing room, taking in the faces of  
each portrait along the wall. He assumed they were all  
Peacecraft ancestors. He stopped by one sitting beside the  
window. Beneath it was a little table with a bouquet of lilacs.  
"Who is this?" he asked Virginia.  
  
"That is Relena Peacecraft," she explained with reverence,  
moving up behind him. "A great lady who lived here in the  
seventeenth-century."  
  
"Relena," Heero whispered. She was beautiful... almost  
hauntingly so. Dirty blonde hair hung in rivulets around the  
delicate face, a white dress clung to her like a cloud, the  
glacial blue eyes stared out of the painting as if... as if they  
were alive... 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:  
  
Duo's car chugged restlessly on into the daylight hours. He had  
a perfect view of the sunrise, if he had cared to watch it. His  
mind was else where, not quite a million miles away but possibly  
a dimension away. That's kind of how he felt about Collinwood  
Mansion. Like it was a gateway, a pathway from this world into  
another dimension. He wondered if the wood the mansion used had  
grown up in a secret glade or had five rings at the base.  
  
And Heero Yuy was now at Collinwood. The idea frightened him but  
then it also gave him a thrill of exhilaration. Nobody just  
happens to go to Collinwood. One must be drawn to it, lured by  
its terrible song. It had been years since Duo had heard that  
song, had followed it.  
  
He had come about the tales of Collinwood quite by accident. He  
was traveling in the New England countryside collecting old  
ghost stories, interviewing the old locals that, with a couple  
of pies and a hot drink, would tell those stories. He had stacks  
of notes stuffed in one box or another. But it was while on his  
first trip that he had heard of the legend of Collinwood.  
  
The word itself had sent a sliver of chill through him. It gave  
him such a feeling of déja vu that he nearly didn't hear what  
the old man he had been interviewing had said.  
  
Apparently the old man had grown up in the shadows of Collinwood-  
in the town of Collinsport. The old man told Duo stories of  
Barnabas the Vampire, Relena the Witch, and several other  
stories about werewolves and the New England Frankenstein. For  
nearly 4 hours Duo had sat enraptured by the stories, barely  
taking notes. Duo had hopped into his car and drove the whole  
way to Collinsport without a second thought.  
  
He had breezed into town and then left straight away for the  
Collinwood mansion.  
  
He never did make it. Not on that trip or any other. There were  
forces that kept him away from the mansion itself but the whole  
town was accessible to him. Many times when he was on vacation  
and he couldn't stand looking at his apartment walls anymore  
he'd drive up to Collinsport, sit back in the local watering  
holes and listen to the strange tales. Not many, just a few,  
ghost hunters or legend collectors (collectors of Folk tales- he  
had an autographed copy of The Collinwood Collection by Bob  
Issel) breezed through the small town so that Duo wouldn't be an  
out-of-placed-thumb.  
  
With Heero away at the mansion, hopefully Duo would be able to  
keep a distant eye on him without Heero catching him at it. It  
was unfortunate that he couldn't go to the mansion himself but  
he was on friendly terms with Virginia Blake and he was sure he  
could get her to talk about Heero and what he did at the  
mansion.  
  
* * * 10 years ago  
  
This time Duo was going to make it. Come hell or high water Duo  
Maxwell would see the infamous Collinwood mansion. For years he  
had envied his friend Virginia, able to come and go at will.  
Every time he tried to hitch a ride with her, the car would run  
out of gas or would break down. His last trip he had brought the  
top of the line mountain bike, which promptly blew a tire and  
bent the rim so bad that it couldn't be fixed.  
  
Duo had packed three different pairs of sneakers, a roll of duct  
tape, an umbrella with *matching* poncho ("Thanks, Quatre."),  
100 feet of rope, and the same length in bungee cord.  
  
He had forgotten to pack a lunch but had nearly 2 pounds of  
candy bars. The amount missing left a long trail, like  
breadcrumbs, back to the town.  
The countryside itself was quite distracting. He had decided to  
follow the cliffs rather then go over the stone road out to the  
mansion. The waves were an eerie call to him. The wind whistled  
over the tops of trees, over the green fields. Duo, himself,  
liked the camaraderie of beached sailors, brawling out lewd  
lyrics at the top of their lungs, so drunk that the land itself  
rolled like the sea.  
  
The ocean looked nearly 5 stories down and the wind whistled  
through the rocks and caverns of the seaside like a sirens song.  
  
But the more Duo listened, the less and less it sounded like a  
song and more like screaming. It sounded just like a woman  
screaming for help.  
  
Immediately Duo dropped his backpack and rushed towards the  
sound of the woman's scream. It was coming from over the cliffs.  
With not much thought, Duo leaned over the cliff side searching  
for the source. Just over the edge, Duo could see a woman  
trapped at the base of the cliff. She was hanging onto one of  
the rocks jutting out of the sea. The waves crashed mercilessly  
against the rock, nearly dislodging her every time.  
  
"I'm coming to help," Duo screamed before starting down the  
cliff side. He slid and crashed over the nearly vertical  
terrain, so intent on helping the poor lady that no other  
thoughts entered his head.  
  
A particular wave crashed so heavily against the cliff side that  
it nearly dislodged him from the cliff side.  
  
He also lost sight of the woman whose grip had slipped from the  
rock with the last wave. It seemed like an eternity before Duo  
heard her scream again, this time farther out to sea on an even  
smaller rock.  
  
Within moments Duo scrambled to the base of the cliff, ignoring  
the pounding waves, searching for a way to get out to the poor  
woman. A vicious wave crashed into him, nearly sending him into  
the side of the cliff. He heard the woman screaming piteously  
and he turned towards her to see her reach out a bony hand  
towards him.  
  
A bony hand pinked and purpled with exposure. Sightless eyes  
stared at him and a nearly lipless mouth let out a heart-  
wrenching scream of terror. Her white, straw like hair hung in  
clumps that twirled about her half submerged body, seemingly to  
dance in the waves.  
  
Duo was so shocked that he barely noticed the wave that crashed  
him into the cliff side, sending him into darkness. His only  
thought being that he may never see Collinwood.  
  
* * *  
  
10 years ago was the last time Duo had ever attempted to go out  
to the mansion. His luck or maybe some weird curse kept them  
forever separated. If Heero Yuy could have picked anywhere in  
the world, Duo could and probably would follow, everywhere  
except the Collinwood mansion.  
  
It had been years after that incident that Duo finally worked up  
the courage to go back to Collinsport. He had expected the  
locals to laugh and ridicule him for his folly. Instead that  
incident had left him more a part of the town then ever. He was  
practically a local after the accident.  
  
Maybe, if the need arose- though he hoped it wouldn't, he'd try  
again to reach the old Collinwood mansion.  
  
* * *  
  
Heero Yuy stared deeply into the eyes of the painting of Relena  
Peacecraft. They seemed to watch him with such sadness and  
desperation, almost like she, herself, was torn from her love.  
  
But then, he could just be projecting his feelings.  
  
Of course, here in the mansion, he could pretend anything he  
wanted. Here, he could be just a handy man who never heard of  
Oz, the Preventers and Duo Maxwell. A vacation from reality. And  
maybe Relena could be the mother he never knew, watching over  
him. She looked like she would be a good mother, a kind, giving,  
and gentle mother.  
  
He tilted his head and looked closer at the lonely visage of  
Relena. No, a wife, a betrothed would be better. Someone he  
could settle down with and have the 3.5 kids and a dog. She  
would be a regal wife, needing vibrant green hedges and antique  
English roses. There would be parties on Saturday with  
ladyfinger sandwiches and little bowls of iced custard.  
  
"Heero, are you all right?" Virginia's voice interred into his  
break from reality.  
  
"I'm all right, ma'am. Just thinking..." He could run all he  
wanted but no matter what, Duo existed and Oz existed and the  
Preventers existed and he couldn't escape them but he could  
forget about them for a while.  
  
Virginia continued telling him about the house as she led him  
through to the kitchen. Apparently he would be staying in the  
old servants room, which was on the south side and caught lots  
of sun in the day. There was also a great view of the land but  
not much of the cliffs or the sea. That was fine with him, since  
he didn't think he'd be spending much time in the room.  
  
She showed him the summer kitchen, now pretty much a shed just  
off of the main kitchen. The shed had many tools that he could  
use for repairs.  
  
The servant's room was through the main kitchen and up the  
stairs, though when Heero saw the room it looked less like a  
servant's room and more like an opulent palace. Two walls held  
very tall windows with seats. Long brown curtains framed the  
windows and were tied back with thick, heavy gilded ropes. They  
were the first things to catch his eye but the large; nearly  
walk in fireplace was the next.  
  
It ran along part of the same wall. He suspected that it was  
connected to the fireplace in the kitchen, sharing the same flu.  
It did contain a hook with a small black kettle that could be  
warmed for an evening tea, he suspected. On top of the mantel  
were several sets of candleholders, the yellow tallowed candles  
in various stages of use. If not for Virginia's little breath of  
fright and her little step back, Heero wouldn't have assessed  
anything a threat or out of place. Upon her reaction he quickly  
scanned the room and noticed her cause of fright. On the mantel  
top was a white, gleaming skull. He knew enough about bodies to  
tell that it was a real human skull.  
  
"I'm sorry," Virginia apologized, "I was not aware it had been  
moved from the main dinning hall. I could move it back, if you  
like." Virginia crossed the room quickly to stop in front of the  
skull. Lightly she caressed the cranium, seemingly to dare  
herself to pick up the skull.  
  
The wind whistled loudly through the mansion, reminding Heero of  
banshee wails of the Irish castles he'd visited in his travels.  
  
"There's no need," Heero crossed the room and removed her hand  
from the skull. "I'm not afraid. I'll move it back there later."  
  
Curious, Heero inquired into whose it was.  
  
"I'm not for certain, but it is said that one of the servant  
girls loved working for the Peacecraft's family. She loved the  
mansion so much that she asked that her head be severed from her  
body and be placed within the home. The family was quite  
amendable to her wishes but the other servants would often cast  
the head out, trying to get rid of it. It is said that the skull  
will scream and moan until it is returned to the house."  
  
Virginia nervously left Heero to contemplate the skull while she  
puttered around the room, moving to turn down the top sheet and  
open drawers for his use. She was about to unpack his duffle  
when Heero stopped contemplating throwing the skull out the  
window to see if it actually would scream. Duo would be so  
thrilled to get a skull that screamed. Maybe Heero could give it  
to him as a very early Christmas present.  
  
"I could do that later, ma'am. I'd like to see the rest of the  
house, make a plan on what to tackle first. I think it's time  
for lunch, anyway. I could give you a hand. I'll leave the  
laundry for," Heero waved a hand in the direction of the skull,  
a huge grin plastered on his face.  
  
"Old Lucy, my mother used to call her Old Lucy," Virginia  
blushed and covered her mouth.  
  
"We'll leave Old Lucy to her room," Heero bowed deeply and  
presented his arm. For some reason, he felt the need to be  
silly. "And we'll go make lunch." 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:  
  
^*^*  
  
By the time Duo took care of his animals - he dropped a one-week  
feeder tablet into the goldfishes tank- and packed his bags  
along with a scant but un moldy lunch, the day was half gone.  
  
Of course, he wouldn't or rather couldn't admit to himself that  
spending thirty minutes in the shower was what really did him  
in. The culprit behind the extended cleansing ritual was, Heero  
Yuy.  
  
He conjured up Heero of six years ago. Duo could still see the  
man as he was; his hair dark and thick and unruly, teeth whiter  
than the girl who advertised tooth polish. And it was just such  
an image that chose to appear to Duo in the hot shower.  
  
Tall and gangly, not nearly as filled out then as he was now.  
Both of them were secreted in the library of the Preventers New  
York division. The lights were a cliched' low, so that just the  
bright glare of the computer screen illuminated the men. Duo had  
turned and caught his partner in a quiet moment of contemplative  
thought. Heero's face was relaxed and his large blue eyes, made  
prussian by the electronic lighting, stared unblinking into the  
screen.  
  
Duo, under the safety of the hot spray, stroked his nipples  
until they stood erect. Then he drew his soapy finger-tips down  
his chest, imagining that they were Heero's fingers touching  
him.  
  
He recalled the conversation that the two had had that day in  
the library. How husky Heero's voice was. Duo had noticed that  
Heero was sitting close, too close, and his cock had stirred to  
a semi-erection. Duo, instead of leaning away from him, had  
leaned closer and made an inane comment about whom they should  
seek out next.  
  
Duo gently fondled his testicles. They were low hanging from the  
warmth of the shower and when he kneaded them, they instantly  
turned hard and tightened up. He held his own erection in one  
hand as he stroked his balls, pretending that Heero was on his  
knees before him licking him on the underside of his testes. Duo  
pulled on his cock furiously and switched from stroking his sack  
to squeezing it. Now Heero was deep throating him, and Duo  
pretended that Heero's eyes were wide open and staring up at  
him...warm water gently trickling down the man's temples,  
cascading over his long lashes like warmed icicles melting in  
the afternoon sun....  
  
At that image, Duo yelled "Heero" and came. The soap dish and a  
half-empty shampoo bottle the only witnesses to his lusty  
absolutions.  
  
~O~  
  
Now finally, he was on the road again and headed for Collinsport  
for the third, and hopefully final time.  
  
Duo turned his overactive brain away from his former partner to  
the legends that were told about the mansion. While driving,  
Duo's mind slowly meandered from the legends to the ghosts who  
were supposedly to be haunting the elderly grounds. Over the  
years, he'd heard many tales.  
  
One ghost story that never failed to intrigue him was the one  
about Jamison Collins and his mysterious lover. Forbidden to be  
together, Jamison and his lover would sneak away from their  
rooms at night to meet for clandestine rendezvous. So  
passionate, so loving was the secret romance, it was said that  
the night stars in the heavens above twinkled high over head  
only for them, in celebration of their love. The rumors ran  
rampant as too actually *who* this secret paramour of Jamison's  
could be, Duo suspected that rather than a woman, like most  
assumed, that it more likely a male lover, thus all the secrecy.  
Which would also explain why a perfectly eligible bachelor was  
not courting a known young woman from the town.  
  
The secret woman, was a man. No doubt a lovely male, and of  
considerably 'less' good breeding.  
  
Duo smiled at that, Jamison's lover sounded very much like Heero  
Yuy. At the thought of Heero, Duo's insides twitched and he felt  
a 'rush' in the center of his belly. He was glad that Quatre was  
not with him right now, for he would have asked him all sorts of  
questions. Starting with the most obvious, 'Why are you blushing  
Duo?' and then followed with a 'Why is your cock tenting your  
khaki cargoes?'  
  
Switching on the radio in a determined effort to get the man out  
of his head, Duo found an all news station and tuned it in. The  
miles were ticking off rapidly and with them, the daylight  
hours. According to the weather report, a storm was expected to  
hit the coast of New England. The residents of the many villages  
that stamped the coastal regions of the state, Collinsport  
included, could expect thunder, lightening and winds up to fifty  
miles an hour.  
  
Duo sighed, he was in for a dark and stormy ride.  
  
He only hoped that this time he made it to the mansion with out  
any 'unexpected' rising up to bite him in the ass, like the  
other times he had tried, and failed to make it.  
  
~O~  
  
COLLINWOOD MANSION:  
  
After a full day of exploring the mansion and its vast grounds,  
Heero experienced a quiet dinner with just Virginia -or Ginny as  
she asked Heero to call her and the very sullen Cristoff. It had  
been along time since he had sat down and experienced the very  
'normal' routine of eating pot roast and partaking in idyll  
talk.  
  
Now, near midnight, he sat alone in the mansion's large, mostly  
unused sitting room, before a blazing hearth sipping hundred  
year-old whiskey. He stared into the fire, and as his thoughts  
of what to do first on a list of countless tasks that would need  
to be taken care of at the mansion, his thoughts gradually  
cycled back to Duo.  
  
He stared unblinking into the bright orange flames wondering  
where and what Duo was up to. He knew that he should *not* be  
wishing to see the preventer agent again, especially since the  
business between them was unpleasant and unfinished. But Heero  
could not get his mind off of his violet-eyed, former partner.  
The depth of Heero's feelings for Duo went beyond the his good-  
looking outer shell. Duo's seeming scattered yet brilliant mind  
had never failed to amaze Heero.  
  
Heero secretly thrilled that Duo was always able to allude  
Treize's henchmen; himself included into that ragged bunch.  
  
Of course, later on, when the mystery became more shrouded and  
the plot around the conspiracy thickened, Heero had jumped the  
fence and did all that he could to protect Duo. Though neither  
Duo nor Quatre knew it. And if they did, would the duo even  
appreciate it? That was the question.  
  
The romantic in Heero dreamed of the day that the two of them  
could put aside all of the shit that had gone on between them  
and let bygones be bygones. Once that was done, they would be  
free to explore a relationship. A romantic relationship, not a  
professional one like they had right now, if that's what you  
could even call it. The practical side of him knew however, that  
when that day actually came to pass then pigs would fly and the  
rain in Vancouver would cease.  
  
In other words never.  
  
Heero snorted sarcastically then swallowed the last of his  
whiskey. Duo Maxwell couldn't bear to look at him, let alone  
ever make love to him. He placed his snifter on the small table  
next to his chair and shook his head, knowing notions of romance  
and love were for other people, good people, not scum-sucking  
bastards with no morals like himself.  
  
Heero sighed heavily and stood, the hour was late and it was  
time to turn in. He had a full day ahead of himself. Judging by  
the piss-poor weather outside, Heero figured he'd be doing most  
of his chores in the pouring rain. He took a few minutes to  
squat down front of the large fire, where he removed the heavy  
antique screen. As he was banking the coals, he felt a cool  
breath of air across the back of his bare neck. It sent a sudden  
shiver trickling up his spine and all of the hair on his arms  
stood up. Heero was positive that Cristoff was behind him, he  
could feel a presence. But when he suddenly stood and whirled,  
there was nothing but the empty room.  
  
Thinking that he was letting his imagination get away from him,  
Heero smiled and turned his attention back to what he had been  
doing.  
  
Just then, lightening streaked across the dark night sky,  
lighting up the mansion and a split second later deafening  
thunder roared directly over head. Another bolt of lightening  
shot out and suddenly, the mansion was enveloped in darkness.  
Heero shivered again, he never did like power outages. Turning  
to the safety of the fire, Heero pulled a large candlestick,  
which was mounted in a large, ornate brass holder and lit it  
with a hot coal. For some reason, he was nervous, not only for  
himself, but for Duo too.  
  
At that moment, he felt like he had been in this room before,  
doing the very same thing, standing in the dark during a noisy  
storm and lighting a candle, worrying about the man whom he  
loved deeply.  
  
Heero shook of the eerie sense of Deja'vous, and started for the  
dark stairwell that led to his room. He still could not shake  
the feeling that he was being watched, and when the steps behind  
him creaked loudly, Heero, not usually one to be spooked, ran up  
the wooden steps two at a time then turned the corner and speed  
walked to his bedroom.  
  
Cristoff stepped out from the shadows, a leering grin crossed  
his handsome mouth. He had been observing the grounds  
keeper/handy man closely. He could see that despite what the  
blue-eyed man said, he was in fact freaked out by the mansion. A  
large smile broke out on Cristoff's face, and softer than a  
whisper, he soundlessly followed Heero and watched his assent up  
the stairs, not needing any form of light to see the man.  
  
Cristoff liked this new guy-- a lot.  
  
~O~  
  
Duo, tired, hungry and about two hours behind schedule pulled up  
the bottom of the drive of Collinwood manor. He could see a  
light on in the window, so someone was up, that much he knew for  
sure.  
  
But who?  
  
That he couldn't tell. Duo wondered if he should just drive up  
and knock on the door or turn around, go back to the pub and  
then return in the morning. He didn't know what the hell he  
would say to Heero anyway. The light in the window went out and  
that seemed to be the deciding factor for Duo. Obviously who  
ever was up, had turned out the lights and gone to bed. Duo  
figured he could get a room in town for the night and come back  
in the morning.  
  
He turned the key over to start his car and was greeted with a  
grinding, clicking noise instead of the quiet hum of his  
sensible sedan.  
  
-TBC- 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four:  
  
Tired as he was, Duo Maxwell still appreciated the savage beauty  
of the violent storm surrounding him. The bright bursts of  
lightning allowed Duo to see the aged, sturdy trees bend to near  
hurricane-strength winds. The relentless pounding of heavy rains  
and the deep, booming thunder, matched the furious howls of the  
wind. The dark sedan rocked beneath the onslaught of nature's  
overwhelming force.  
  
Every sense was heightened, Duo's breath grew ragged, and his  
blood raced madly through every vein. The storm was terrifying,  
electrifying, simply too incredible for words.  
  
It reminded him of Heero Yuy. Fascinating. Dangerous. And  
impossible to stay away from.  
  
Duo turned his gaze towards Collinwood. On his previous  
attempts, some powerful force prevented him from reaching the  
dark, forbidding mansion. This time, it seems he wasn't meant to  
leave.  
  
//Well, Heero, it looks like fate's thrown us *both* a  
curveball.//  
  
Duo pondered his options. He could spend a cold, uncomfortable  
night in his malfunctioning car, or he could brave the elements  
and seek shelter at Collinwood. A wry grin stretched across his  
face as he realized there was *no* choice: the mysteries of  
Collinwood and the mysteries of Heero Yuy were a sirens song he  
was unable to resist.  
  
***  
  
Heero knew he wouldn't sleep this night: instead he sat in one  
of the chairs by the tall windows in his room, watching the  
powerful storm rage across the lands below.  
  
He was rather glad now his room did not overlook the cliffs. The  
tragic story of Jamison Du Pres, his doomed love and violent  
death were fresh in Heero's mind. He shook as he remembered his  
dream of Duo as Jamison.  
  
//Some things never change. I only hurt you, time and again. I  
only wanted to love you, Duo.//  
  
Lost in troubled thoughts, Heero continued to stare, unseeing,  
into the violent night.  
  
***  
  
Thirty minutes fighting the storm, and Duo Maxwell had only  
traveled half the distance from his car to the mansion. The  
furious rain pelted him mercilessly, the gusting winds enveloped  
him in bitter cold, and he stumbled through the flooded pathway  
now caked with mud. Some of Duo's hair had come out of his braid  
and was now plastered to his face, and in his eyes.  
  
A fierce gust sent him sprawling to the pavement. As he  
struggled to regain his balance, Duo suddenly sensed an  
unearthly presence. Looking around wildly, he only saw the  
battered trees and relentless rain. Another blast of lightning  
lit the sky, allowing him to see the imposing manor, his only  
safety from the deadly storm.  
  
And there it was, the evil he sensed, perched upon a turret. A  
snow-white owl, largest he had ever seen, eyes sharp and cold,  
staring into his very soul. Duo recognized that steely gaze as  
that of a ruthless predator; and he was the prey.  
  
Duo tensed as the owl ruffled its feathers then slowly flew off  
the turret. The darkness and the rain combined to hide the  
creature from his sight. Instinct told him the attack was coming  
and he threw himself to the ground, barely in time to escape the  
sharp talons that nearly clawed into his throat. The impact of  
the fall caused Duo to lose his grip on his gun. It skidded  
across the pavement, and then washed away in a rushing stream of  
floodwaters. He scrambled towards the heavy trees, hoping the  
foliage could provide protection. Duo's heart raced madly as he  
sprinted towards the forest. He was almost there when his feet  
gave way, ankle twisting as he slipped heavily to the muddy  
ground.  
  
The fall saved him from the second attack, though this time the  
talons raked across his left shoulder. Duo attempted to stand,  
but fell back in pain; his damaged ankle couldn't bear his  
weight. The white bird perched ominously upon the nearest tree,  
releasing a piercing shriek of victory.  
  
Duo moaned over the unfairness of it all. He was so close to  
reaching Heero, so close to making sense of his conflicting  
angers and desires.  
  
***  
  
"Spencer!"  
  
The anguished cry startled Heero out of his light doze. A vivid  
image of Jamison Du Pres crying out for him......Spencer?......shot  
through his mind, and before he knew it, Heero was heading for  
the door.  
  
In his dream, Jamison Du Pres was in danger. His longhaired,  
violet eyed love. The man who was somehow connected to Duo.  
  
Oh, God. *Duo*!  
  
Heero rushed down the darkened stairwell, not even stopping for  
a candle to light his way. In his haste to reach Duo, he never  
noticed the dark haired man lurking in the shadows. Heero raced  
through the mansion, heading straight for the front door. He  
knew, just *knew* the danger was there. Heedless of his own  
safety, Heero flung open the door and threw himself out into the  
storm.  
  
***  
  
Duo would never again stare into blazing blue eyes full of  
vitality and determination. He would never again hear those  
dark, husky growls of information and lies. He would never,  
ever, have the chance to tell Heero the truth.  
  
//I love you, Heero. I don't know how, or why, but I think I  
always have.//  
  
Duo could only wait as the deadly owl prepared for its final,  
fatal attack.  
  
***  
  
Heero rushed into the storm, surrendering to and taking strength  
from the raging elements. Racing down the driveway, he came to a  
crashing halt at the terrible sight: Duo, fallen, helpless...and  
the palpable evil radiating from the threatening, sharp-talon  
owl.  
  
The howling wind somehow carried Jamison's whisper to his ear.  
  
"Save our love, Spencer."  
  
Hoping to draw the attack upon himself, Heero cried out, "Duo!"  
  
Two sets of eyes turned on him, both full of longing and  
intensity. The amethyst eyes were warm and accepting; the clear  
blue eyes were possessive and devouring.  
  
Heero took another step towards the fallen man, but stopped when  
the white owl reacted angrily with a sharp shriek. He cursed  
himself for not grabbing his gun before leaving the mansion.  
  
However, Heero Yuy was always dangerous, one-way or another. He  
carried a switchblade in his pocket and throwing knives in his  
boots. All he had to do was get in range. And if that bird of  
prey wouldn't let him near Duo, maybe there was another way...  
  
***  
  
Duo was caught between relief and horror. Relief at the sight of  
Heero, brave and deadly even when battered by the furious rain.  
Horror as he watched Heero walk towards the threatening  
creature.  
  
Duo released a silent gasp as he saw the owl relax as Heero made  
his way, slowly, calmly, towards the tree it rested on. The owl  
seemed almost mesmerized as it watched the approach of the  
silent, blue-eyed man. Heero paused beneath the tree; to Duo, he  
seemed to be considering his words carefully. In a smooth,  
reassuring tone, Heero asked, "What do you want from us?"  
  
The large owl continued to stare at Heero; its gaze was in turn  
hungry, loving and sad. If he didn't know better, Duo would say  
the creature was lonely.  
  
Duo decided to test his ankle while the owl remained distracted.  
He staggered to his feet successfully, but his grunt of pain  
caught the owl's attention.  
  
With a furious screech, the owl dove from the tree, on a direct  
path for Duo's throat. Duo knew he wouldn't evade the deadly  
attack this time, so he tilted his eyes up to Heero: he wanted  
one last view of the handsome, fascinating man who confused him  
so.  
  
The vision he saw was pure, unadulterated menace: Heero had spun  
towards Duo the very moment the owl attacked. Eyes glazed with a  
feral brightness, Heero crouched, right hand unbelievably fast,  
the glint of steel racing towards Duo. But instead of Duo, it  
was the owl the knife cut through, cleaving through feathers and  
muscle. It wasn't a kill; the wounded creature managed to dive  
into the deep foliage, the bloodstains already washed away by  
the rain.  
  
Duo forgot about the former threat to his life; he was too busy  
staring at Heero, who had gone deathly pale and fallen to his  
knees. Duo realized Heero was in shock. He stumbled over to him,  
placing both hands on Heero's shoulders.  
  
"Heero? We really need to get inside. We're both going to freeze  
to death out here."  
  
Hesitantly, Heero looked up at Duo. The rain had darkened and  
lengthened already dense, lush lashes that framed those  
brilliant eyes. The words were almost a whisper.  
  
"I...I could have killed you just then, Duo. It was *that*  
close."  
  
Duo moved his arms beneath those of Heero, helping him rise to  
his feet. The two exhausted men swayed together, ignoring the  
rain, wind and cold that still surrounded them. Duo leaned into  
Heero, taking the weight from his twisted ankle, plastering his  
tiny body against Heero.  
  
"Heero, you *saved* me. You tried to turn the attack towards  
yourself, and when the owl came after me, you didn't hesitate.  
You did what you had to do. Thank you, Heero."  
  
The two men stood there silently for a moment before heading  
towards Collinwood mansion. The storm finally started to relent;  
the rain ended by the time they reached the front door.  
  
"Ferocious owls and creepy mansions. You turn *everything* into  
a hazard, Duo." Heero groused. "Aren't you gonna hit me now?"  
  
A sudden wave of happiness washed over Duo. He squeezed Heero as  
they headed up the long stairwell to the bedroom. A quiver of  
excitement belied Duo's usual tone as he replied, "Heero, this  
is going to be my best vacation, *ever*!"  
  
***  
  
Cristoff McTeer emerged from the deep shadows and stood before  
the painting of Relena Peacecraft. The placid beauty Heero saw  
during the daylight hours was gone; in its place was a cold  
fury.  
  
When Cristoff spoke to Heero earlier, it was in a garbled  
monotone. Speaking now, his voice was honeyed and smooth.  
"Relena, they are both exquisite."  
  
The frozen blue eyes from the painting came to life in a blaze  
of anger. Cristoff enjoyed taunting Relena; long ago, she made  
him what he was; yet now he was free. She remained trapped in  
the painting, able to affect this world, but not be a part of  
it. At least, for now.  
  
If Cristoff had his way, she would *never* return. Especially  
now, just when things were getting interesting.  
  
As Cristoff's thoughts turned to the two beautiful men upstairs,  
the mirror hanging near Relena's painting was slowly filled with  
trails of blood. The blood flowed into a message:  
  
Heero is MINE! Do what you want with the other.  
  
Cristoff laughed. Secretly, he was deathly afraid of Relena, and  
with good reason. But it would never do to let *her* know that.  
He approached the mirror and gently licked at the blood until  
every trace was gone.  
  
"Thank you, Relena. That was quite wonderful. How kind of you to  
satisfy my hunger."  
  
Cristoff left the house, heading towards Eagle Hill Cemetery.  
The need for sleep was overwhelming and complete. As he slipped  
into the safety of the coffin, one last thought raced through  
his mind before he surrendered to unconsciousness.  
  
//Which toy do I play with first?//  
  
-TBC- 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five:  
  
Soaking wet, Duo stood in the center of the large bedroom. He  
shivered involuntarily, chilled to the bone. Across the room,  
Heero knelt beside the ornately carved fireplace trying to  
create a spark.  
  
Lightning crashed outside the stained glass windows. For a split  
second Duo thought he could see the owl viciously beating its  
wings. As thunder rumbled and shook the ancient foundations of  
the great house, he returned his attention to the man he longed  
to touch.  
  
Water dripping from his hair, Heero tried to strike a match  
without his hand shaking. It proved to be a challenge. Finding  
Duo under attack outside had sent a surge of adrenalin through  
his body; seeing his one desire in mortal danger.  
  
In that instant, the fireplace roared into life. Heero stood up  
and asserted his normal cool calm. It wasn't easy with Duo  
Maxwell standing in the same room. Heero grabbed the chair he'd  
fallen asleep in earlier and pulled it close to the fire.  
  
"Come on and warm up," he called over to Duo.  
  
Near the door Duo nodded and strode across toward him, limping a  
little along the way. Almost immediately Heero reached out a  
helping hand. Duo hesitantly took it. He was still shaken up by  
the events outside and torn by the overwhelming feelings for  
Heero.  
  
Heero gently sat Duo down in the chair. He grimaced from the  
pain in his foot. "Thanks," he said through gritted teeth.  
  
He watched as Heero turned and quickly hefted a quilt from the  
bed. With surprising ease, he wrapped the warm covering over  
Duo's shoulders.  
  
"You'd better let me take a look at that," Heero suggested.  
  
For an instant, Duo half hoped he meant something entirely  
different. Kneeling down, Heero slowly lifted Duo's leg. Duo  
started to protest but the soft touch he received from Heero  
stopped him. He held onto the arms of the chair while Heero  
expertly removed his sodden hiking boot and sock. Duo steadied  
his increased breathing. Was he being that obvious? No one had  
ever stirred up the kind of emotions he was experiencing.  
  
Heero held Duo's foot in his hand. Tracing his fingers  
delicately up the ankle, he discovered that touching Duo's flesh  
had dispersed the chill from his body. A thousand questions  
flashed through his mind. What was Duo doing here? How had he  
tracked me down? What was the connection between Jamison Du Prés  
and Duo? How did he know the owl meant Duo harm? What was Duo  
doing here?  
  
Duo couldn't tear his eyes away from Heero. How many times had  
he imagined finding Heero again? More often than not, he  
fantasized about taking him into his arms. The conflicting  
feelings had waged a war within him for so long.  
  
His thoughts were distracted by the tingling sensation running  
up his leg, creating a warm fire in his groin. His eyes fell on  
Heero's body. The rain had plastered the T-shirt he wore to his  
skin. Duo could make out every muscular detail, right down to  
the hard nipples. His mouth watered and he swallowed.  
  
"What's the verdict, doc?" he finally asked.  
  
Heero didn't want to let go of Duo. Heart pounding against his  
chest, he felt his crotch begin to bulge. He finally had Duo  
within his grasp, but those old memories cruelly shattered the  
illusion.  
  
"The muscles are just strained," Heero answered. He gently set  
Duo's naked foot back down. "Should be alright."  
  
"Is first aid a hidden talent of yours?" Duo wondered.  
  
Staring up into those eyes, glittering by the light of the  
flames, Heero could almost believe that all the animosity he'd  
caused had faded away. 'You have no idea of the talents I'd love  
to show you,' he thought. "You need some dry clothes," he told  
Duo, diverting his thoughts.  
  
Duo eased back into the soft chair. "My bags are down in the  
car," he replied.  
  
Heero stood up and moved toward the bed. Beside it on the floor  
sat his duffle bag. He took out an extra T-shirt and a pair of  
sweat pants. Bringing them over to Duo, he grinned.  
  
"Here, you can wear these. That is if you don't mind wearing my  
clothes."  
  
Duo gingerly accepted the clothing. They were way to big for  
him, but it was better than wet clothes or nothing. Heero pulled  
his wet shirt over his head. Laying it over the screen to dry,  
he turned back to Duo and was taken aback by the look on his  
face.  
  
"Duo, are you okay?"  
  
"What? Yes, I'm just..." He looked up at the ceiling, tearing  
his eyes away from Heero's glistening chest.  
  
"Just what?" Heero pressed.  
  
"Just wondering why that spirit familiar attacked me," he half-  
lied. "The way you spoke to it... The first thing we need to do  
is find out why it happened."  
  
Heero didn't know how to answer him. He still didn't understand  
what had drawn him to Collinwood in the first place, or the  
strange familiarity that invaded his senses.  
  
"The supernatural is your expertise," he replied. Heero drew  
closer to inspect the bloody gashes Duo sustained during the  
attack.  
  
"Not too deep," he observed. "You're lucky."  
  
Duo squirmed a little, unable to resist pressing closer into  
him. It was then that Duo's eyes fell on the strange skull  
sitting on the fireplace mantle.  
  
"Woah, now that's what I call Gothic decor!"  
  
Heero looked up and snorted. "Duo I'd like for you to meet Old  
Lucy, a servant who loved this place so much that she wanted her  
head to stay in it."  
  
Duo's eyes sparkled. "Really?"  
  
"Supposedly the skull screams if it's taken out of the house,"  
he continued. "I immediately thought of you."  
  
"I still can't believe it's really Collinwood," Duo said in awe  
of his surroundings.  
  
"You used to come up here a lot?" Heero prompted, sitting back  
down.  
  
Duo gave him a playful grin. "How do you know that?"  
  
Heero tapped his wet nose three times and smiled. "I have my  
ways."  
  
"This is the first time I've actually made it to the estate,"  
Duo began to explain. "I tried several times, but something  
always held me back."  
  
Heero looked up at him, almost speaking from a distance. "I  
don't know why, but I almost feel like I've come home."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"A funny thing about this place... I keep imagining things."  
  
Duo stood up, testing his weight on his ankle. Heero was by his  
side in an instant.  
  
"What are you doing?" Heero questioned, full of concern.  
  
"I think we both need a hot bath and a good night's sleep before  
we catch pneumonia," he replied. "Is there an extra room?"  
  
Heero felt his heart sink. For a moment he thought Duo was  
suggesting... Then he realized his motivation for trying to run  
from the man he loved was justified.  
  
"There's a room across the hall," Heero told him. "Ginny said it  
used to belong to a governess."  
  
Duo nodded. "Tomorrow, I'll see what's wrong with the car then  
book a room at the inn."  
  
"No!" Heero said forcefully. Duo looked at him, surprised. "I  
mean you've waited so long to come here. There's plenty of room.  
Besides," suddenly his voice affected a perfect New England  
accent, "they don't like strangers in these parts."  
  
Duo couldn't help but laugh, despite the pain in his shoulder  
and foot. "Is Virginia still here?"  
  
Heero nodded as he helped Duo toward the door. "Yeah, she's been  
very nice. Just watch out for her nephew though."  
  
"Nephew?" Duo's curiosity sparked. "I never knew she had a  
nephew."  
  
Out in the darkened hallway, Heero lead him across to a similar  
oak door. Opening it they found a room decorated in shades of  
blue and white. A large canopy bed took up most of the area  
while an exquisite dressing table and a wardrobe stood in the  
corners. Long silk curtains framed the stained glass windows as  
the wind moaned outside.  
  
Heero helped Duo to sit on the comfy bed. Turning to the bedside  
table, he lit a candle.  
  
"There should be a bathroom through there," he said, indicating  
another door. "The tubs are enormous. Big enough for two."  
  
Duo whipped his head up at this. Was his imagination working  
overtime or was it the sight of Heero shirtless?  
  
Shuffling his tired feet, Heero quickly covered. "When you pull  
out the plug, don't let the vortex drag you down."  
  
"From what I've heard about Collinwood, anything's possible in  
this house."  
  
Suddenly, the sound of a dog howling pierced the storm outside.  
Duo let the quilt fall from his shoulders. Limping toward the  
window he pulled back the curtains to stare at the woods  
surrounding the estate. Through the rain a gentle fog rolled its  
way down the hills.  
  
"Legend says that when the moon is full and the wolf bane  
blooms, strange creatures walk the night."  
  
Heero watched Duo in fascination. It never ceased to amaze him  
how the call of the supernatural affected him. A sudden  
lightning flash illuminated the forest several stories below.  
Duo's eyes widened in surprise.  
  
"Someone's standing out there!"  
  
Heero hurried over to stand close to him. Peering out of the  
window he searched the trees. If Duo tracked him down, could a  
Consortium assassin have followed? He sighed with relief.  
  
"Nothing's there. I think this place is already getting to you."  
  
Duo shrugged, sitting on the cushioned window seat. "Maybe, but  
I know the stories about Collinwood all too well to take  
anything lightly."  
  
Heero rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I've heard a few just  
on the way up here."  
  
"I was just sure I saw someone."  
  
"Duo come on, you need rest."  
  
"You're right."  
  
"Do you need any help?"  
  
"I'm fine... no need to fuss."  
  
"Stubborn as always." Heero shook his head and headed for the  
door.  
  
"Hey Heero," called Duo.  
  
Heero turned in the doorway. Instead of the malice he'd grown to  
expect, there was genuine happiness in Duo's eyes.  
  
"Thanks," he finished.  
  
~oo0oo~  
  
Back in his bedroom, Heero stripped out of his pants and hung  
them over the fireplace next to his already drying shirt. He was  
too exhausted to slip into the bathtub. Pulling down the covers  
on his bed he felt his heart racing. Duo was here... in the very  
next room. Sliding beneath the warm sheets something told him  
that this time things would be different.  
  
~oo0oo~  
  
Across the hallway, Duo lit another candle and carried it inside  
the spacious bathroom. His eyes fell on the centerpiece of the  
room. Heero had been right; the tubs were huge. He mentally  
kicked himself for not allowing Heero to help him... The  
conflicting feelings he'd dealt with didn't seem terrible now  
that he'd found Heero again.  
  
Turning on the taps, Duo watched the tub begin to fill with  
water. Carefully easing out of his torn shirt he winced as the  
wet fabric rubbed against his fresh wounds. Removing his sodden  
slacks and underwear, Duo clicked over the strange events.  
Somehow Heero had known he was in danger, he'd known the spirit  
familiar was after him. Sucking on his bottom lip, he decided to  
add this to the score of mysteries he hoped to solve. At the  
moment, they were only vague shadows in his mind.  
  
Easing himself into the water, he breathed deeply and let the  
steam wash over him.  
  
~oo0oo~  
  
Hunger. The familiar aching sensation that haunted his every  
thought awakened him. Red eyes sheared through the black void.  
He sensed that the two men were now apart. There were no words  
to describe the need he felt to taste the life force of the  
luscious bodies residing within those walls.  
  
Even after all this time, he could still hear her words after  
he'd been turned.  
  
"I have lost him, but I WILL have him again. Cristoff McTeer,  
you will help me. You will know when the time is right."  
  
Centuries had passed and he could still remember the first time  
he'd tasted human blood. The ecstasy of taking someone so  
totally. But never had he desired anyone as much as the two new  
arrivals at Collinwood. He imagined how sweet they must be.  
  
Relena desired the large blue-eyed man, certain that it was he.  
But the smaller stranger also exhibited a world of delights.  
Somehow he would have them both. The coffin's lid creaked open  
revealing a pale hand. As if in response to the need within, a  
dog howled in the distance.  
  
~oo0oo~  
  
Swatting away another pinch Rose Harridge turned angrily on the  
drunken sailor.  
  
"We'll have no more of that Jon Harker!"  
  
The man just laughed and returned to his waiting beer. Rose  
sighed, she ought to be used to it but she would be so glad when  
this night was over. Placing her empty tray on the bar, she  
smiled up at Bob.  
  
"Remind me again why I work here?"  
  
Bob chuckled. "Don't let 'em bother 'ya, Rose."  
  
"Could be worse, Rosie," Charlie Blair said from his regular  
corner stool. "You could be working at Collinwood."  
  
"No thanks," she replied. The mention of the old Collins estate  
set her curiosity in motion. "Bob, is it true there's a new  
caretaker?"  
  
The bartender leaned in close. "It's true. A young buck  
swaggered in here looking for a job."  
  
"I heard tell that a car was seen heading up the hill before the  
storm," Charlie added.  
  
Rose shook her head in disbelief. "Strangers in Collinwood?  
There's one born every minute."  
  
~oo0oo~  
  
Sweat glistened on Heero's forehead as his naked body thrashed  
wildly against the sheets. Taking in deep lungfuls of air, his  
eyes danced in a maelstrom of fury behind their lids. From  
somewhere in the distance, he heard a woman's voice echo, "Come  
to me."  
  
Heero became very still. In his mind's eye an image began to  
form...  
  
*****  
  
Frosty air covered the cemetery. There in the first rays of the  
morning sun she stood waiting for him. Her white gown billowing  
in the chilly breeze, arms outstretched. He was unable to resist  
the lure as she enveloped him.  
  
Far in the distance, a man watched the events. His sadness  
radiating through the windows of Collinwood.  
  
*****  
  
In a flash the scene changed. Heero saw himself and Duo walking  
together through the great estate's forest. A full moon and a  
million twinkling stars illuminated their path. Duo looked up at  
him and smiled a smile that sent electric tentacles racing  
through his body. A childlike laugh escaped his lips and he  
began to run across the sparkling grass.  
  
Heero stood still, unable to move. A cold fear slapped into him.  
He watched helplessly while his love ran further away.  
  
"No." His whispered word was carried away in the approaching  
storm.  
  
"NO! Duo, don't go there!" He shouted desperately. Heero found  
himself racing after Duo... No, not Duo. The figure before him  
was crying, wearing eighteenth-century clothing. Although it  
seemed as if he was running in slow motion, Heero could not  
catch him.  
  
"Stop! No!" Heero cried.  
  
The small figure's movements continued like a film that had been  
slowed down. A violent wind nearly toppled him over as he turned  
back tearfully.  
  
"No, Spencer! No!"  
  
"Please, Jamison! Stop!" Heero ran faster. But the man who  
resembled Duo Maxwell did not stop. He carried on frantically  
running through the trees.  
  
Then, there was nowhere else to run. A despairing wail glided  
through the storm lashed wind. In a single movement Jamison  
leapt from the edge of the cliff.  
  
"NO!" Heero screamed. Standing at the edge, he could only watch  
as the mournful waves crashed against the jagged rocks below  
Widows' Hill.  
  
From far away he could hear his own voice, full of rage, "You  
killed him! You killed Jamison!"  
  
Then a pistol fired.  
  
*****  
  
"Duo!" Heero cried, sitting up in his sweat soaked bed. His eyes  
frantically searched the darkened room, only finding the dying  
embers of the fireplace. His heart hammering against his chest,  
Heero threw off the sheets and dashed from the room.  
  
~oo0oo~  
  
A dark shadow passed silently through the bedroom. Exhausted  
from the night's events, Duo slept peacefully. A cursed soul  
stood towering over him beside the bed. Hungry eyes latched onto  
the pulsing vein in Duo's exposed neck.  
  
An explosion of noise distracted Cristoff from his intended  
prey. Shocked awake, Duo's blurred senses failed to recognize  
the angry hiss as Cristoff retreated. He blinked several times  
trying to remember where he was. Lightning flashed outside, but  
the shadow that had infiltrated the room was gone. The bedroom  
door burst inwards revealing a breathlessly terrified Heero Yuy.  
  
"Heero? What is it? What's happened?" asked Duo hoarsely.  
  
Without a word, Heero rushed over to the bed and his arms were  
around Duo.  
  
"I tried to save you!" he exclaimed, still mesmerized by the  
dream.  
  
Duo felt Heero's body tremble against his own. He'd never known  
that anything could frighten the perfect soldier. Duo wrapped  
his slender arms around him, holding his strong body in a tight  
embrace.  
  
"It's alright, Heero. I'm fine," he reassured him. The dim light  
of the bedside candle revealed Heero in all of his naked beauty.  
Duo gasped, he was absolutely breathtaking.  
  
Heero sat back and held Duo's arms. He stared deep into his  
eyes. "Duo, do you know how much I need you?"  
  
Duo listened in amazement. All of his fantasies had never  
prepared him for this moment. Heero pulled him closer, his lips  
on Duo's soft chestnut hair. Duo raised his head and nestled it  
against his neck, his hands lightly stroking his face.  
  
"I'm here," Duo said tenderly. "I'm right here."  
  
He squeezed Heero's body against his own. Heero's lips traced  
down from his hair to his eyes then to his cheeks, and as the  
fear changed into an erotic need, he kissed Duo's neck,  
forgetting the risk of being rebuffed. Slowly, he kissed him,  
massaging Duo's neck with his lips. The taste of his skin was  
unlike anything Heero could have imagined.  
  
Duo moaned to himself in pleasure while Heero's tongue glided  
across the front of his neck. He did not want this moment to  
ever end. Duo slid closer to him, whispering Heero's name  
huskily. In response his lips moved up to Duo's face and then,  
finally, to his mouth.  
  
A wave of ecstasy washed over them as they kissed deeply. Duo  
pressed his mouth onto his, embracing him warmly. Holding Heero  
felt better than anything had in a very long time. Consumed with  
sexual energy, he pulled Heero down on top of him and held his  
face in his hands.  
  
Heero ran his fingers sensually down Duo's chest, taking great  
care to avoid his wounded shoulder. Soon he replaced his hand  
with his wet mouth, using the tip of his tongue to explore Duo's  
delectable body. He slowly kissed his way down Duo's chest, one  
hand firmly rubbing the hard bulge straining for release.  
  
Duo writhed below him, kicking off the sheets. Heero pulled at  
his waistband, quickly discarding the sweat pants. In the  
candlelight he gasped at the sight of Duo's beautiful, perfectly  
formed manhood. Unable to resist, he ran his tongue up the  
length of Duo's hard shaft. Opening his lips, he slowly, inch by  
inch, took it fully inside of his mouth.  
  
Heero wrapped his tongue around it as his lips slid up and down.  
Duo exhaled deeply, holding Heero's head, as he pumped deeper  
into his mouth. Fingers playfully found their way up Duo's  
chest. He groaned, throwing his head back on the pillow, his  
mouth opening as his breathing increased.  
  
Shifting his weight, Heero maneuvered himself to where his own  
hardness was directly over Duo's face. Instantly, he greedily  
enveloped the throbbing member between his full lips. Now it was  
Heero's turn to moan. The feel of Duo's mouth sent fireworks  
exploding in Heero's mind. Duo held onto his hips and pulled him  
in deeper.  
  
Running his hands beneath his sweet Duo, Heero pulled his legs  
up and ran his hands across the firm flesh of his cheeks.  
Caressing them open, his tongue found its way inside the  
inviting space within.  
  
Reluctantly, he released himself from Duo's mouth. Duo sat up,  
not wanting to let go. Heero pushed him back onto the bed,  
hoisting his legs over his powerful shoulders. Heero looked down  
directly into his eyes. Duo smiled, twining his arms around his  
neck, and pushing himself up under him. Slowly, Heero worked his  
way inside, relishing the exquisite warmth. Duo closed his eyes  
and let the sensations sweep over him. Heero began to grind his  
hips, slowly at first, then with increasing force.  
  
Duo leaned forward and planted his mouth over Heero's, his  
tongue sliding in as he was penetrated below. Drops of sweat  
trickle down Heero's face and onto Duo's heaving chest. In  
unison, Heero's breath became gasps. He slid his hand between  
Duo's legs and began to stroke; soon they were moaning together,  
louder and louder. Duo held tightly to his shoulders as Heero  
pounded further, rubbing against his prostate, sending him to  
the point of no return.  
  
Finally Duo cried out as Heero's hand brought him to the best  
orgasm of his life. Heero felt it too, the tight hold grabbing  
at his cock, squeezing it to orgasm. He thrust hard against him,  
pinning Duo's small body to the bed. His body shuddered, and he  
leaned down to kiss him as a new warmth spread through Duo's  
body. Heero collapsed on top of him, waves of euphoria taking  
hold. Feeling their heartbeats matching rhythmically, they  
kissed deeply again.  
  
Heero held him close, sliding his tongue into Duo's mouth in a  
passionate kiss full of promises.  
  
~oo0oo~  
  
Turning the lock on The Blue Whale, Rose Harridge headed away  
from the bar. Luckily the typical Maine storm had been carried  
back out to sea. She was grateful, as she had not fancied a wet  
walk to her cherry red VW. There was a distinct chill in the air  
and Rose tightened the grip on her coat.  
  
Moving down the dock she could just make out the distant homes.  
She felt a bit envious that Collinsport had been asleep for  
hours and here she was just getting off work. Her aching feet  
protesting, Rose stepped from the dock and walked on down the  
sidewalk.  
  
She paused. A chill passed through her like a knife. Staring  
backwards she couldn't see a thing, but there was definitely  
something. Quickening her pace, the car was a mere few feet  
ahead.  
  
Rose's heart jumped. Someone was following her! Bolting past a  
white picket fence she hurled the driver's door opened. Slamming  
down the lock, she turned to the passenger side. The door  
wrenched open and a hand grasped her around the neck.  
  
"NO!" Rose screamed in terror.  
  
~oo0oo~  
  
Everything was prepared. Virginia surveyed the lavish breakfast  
she had prepared. She gripped the serving tray so hard that her  
knuckles were stark white. The kitchen door opened and she  
turned to watch Cristoff stagger through.  
  
"I know what you did last night," she told him angrily.  
  
Cristoff shrugged, a smirk flooding his face. "I wouldn't have  
had to if..."  
  
"You must be patient."  
  
"Patient?" He repeated, almost spitting out the word.  
  
"Yes," she nodded. "You must be careful." Behind him she could  
see the first rays of morning peeking through the forest. "You'd  
better go."  
  
He grunted and turned to leave. Virginia stared past him, a  
smile spreading across her features. "Relena loves us. She  
always has and always will."  
  
~oo0oo~  
  
Heero and Duo had spent most of the morning together in bed.  
Strangely enough, Virginia had not been the least surprised to  
find them in the room once occupied by Victoria Winters. Nor was  
she surprised by Duo's arrival. In fact, he puzzled over her  
aloof manner toward him. Sure, it had been ten years since he  
last saw her, but he'd never given her any reason to act... dare  
he say the word? ...hostile. These thoughts were quickly  
diminished when Heero wrapped his large arms around him once  
more.  
  
Now it was nearing lunchtime and the newfound lovers were  
strolling across the grounds of Collinwood. Although his  
shoulder still stung, Duo found that his ankle was much better.  
Heero was being particularly mischievous about a surprise. No  
matter how hard he tried, Duo could not pry it out of him. His  
body still tingled from his passionate night of lovemaking with  
Heero.  
  
All around them lay the damage from the storm; large limbs and  
water standing. It was as if nature had mirrored the hurricane  
of passion between the two men. Heero commented that after his  
surprise, he'd have to check the outside of the mansion. This  
would give Duo all the time he needed to delve into the  
mysteries he sought to unravel.  
  
Pressing on through the trees, Duo gasped in surprise at the  
sight before him. Overgrown and eroded by the passage of time,  
the building stood majestically in the middle of the forest.  
  
"It's the Old House," he breathed.  
  
"I found it yesterday afternoon, just before the storm," Heero  
explained.  
  
Duo was well aware of the Old House. The legends of Collinsport  
all began here, at the family's first house.  
  
Unseen, a lone figure watched their progress in the shadows of  
the trees. Everything remained still around the young girl. She  
clutched her hands together worriedly as the two men walked past  
the ivy covered stone columns and inside the house.  
  
~oo0oo~  
  
"Heero, this is amazing," Duo gushed.  
  
Although no one had live here in ages, the grandness of the  
house was unmistakable. A spider skittered up the dusty  
chandelier as Duo looked up. Standing at the bottom of a rickety  
staircase, Heero held out his hand. "There's something you have  
to see."  
  
Making their way carefully up to the third floor, Heero paused  
outside of a door. "You're going to be very surprised when you  
see this. I know I was."  
  
Opening the door, he ushered Duo inside. The room beyond could  
have been frozen in time. The eighteenth-century furnishings  
were perfectly preserved. Nothing had disturbed the bedroom in  
centuries; even the dust had not soiled its beauty.  
  
"You found it like this?" whispered Duo.  
  
"Yes," Heero replied. He watched Duo move deeper inside.  
Suddenly he stopped and stared in amazement at a portrait  
hanging above the dormant fireplace. The image looking back at  
him was simply unbelievable.  
  
"It's incredible," he breathed.  
  
Heero slowly moved up behind him. "You do see the resemblance,  
don't you?"  
  
Duo nodded, unable to speak. The man in the portrait looked  
exactly like him. His hair was longer, to his knees instead of  
just past his hips as is now, and he was dressed in eighteen  
century clothing, but to all intents and purposes he was staring  
up at a portrait of himself.  
  
"His name was Jamison Du Prés," Heero explained, breaking the  
silence.  
  
"Jamison?" Duo wondered aloud.  
  
"Do you know the story?"  
  
"He and his father traveled here from the West Indies in the  
1700s."  
  
"And he died on Widows' Hill. It broke my..." The deep sadness  
radiating from Heero's voice trailed off. "I haven't been able  
to get Jamison out of mind since coming here," he continued.  
  
Duo shivered. After all the things he'd seen and done in his  
life, seeing his face immortalized in a painting sent chills  
down his spine.  
  
"I think we should be getting back," he suggested.  
  
"Duo, I'm sorry."  
  
"No, it's okay," Duo smiled. "I'm glad you brought me here."  
  
Heero lead him out of the room, closing the shrine to Jamison Du  
Prés.  
  
~oo0oo~  
  
The drawing room of Collinwood seemed to be the best place to  
read, or so Duo thought. He'd discovered the Collins family  
history book on a nearby podium and had dived straight in.  
Unfortunately, the illustrious family had chosen to omit or  
write a different version of history from the infamous legends.  
  
His mind wandered back to the painting of Jamison. There was no  
mention of him in the family history, but he had obviously been  
very important to someone. The room had been built with such  
love. From what he understood, the Old House belonged to Spencer  
Collins and Relena Peacecraft for a short time. It only  
confirmed what he'd always suspected.  
  
A distant hammering brought him out of is reverie. Standing, he  
walked toward the window and saw Heero atop the stable roof  
placing in a few loose boards. Duo had offered to help, but  
Heero wouldn't hear of it. He grabbed the end of his braid and  
started chewing on it, thinking how fast his life had changed in  
the space of one night.  
  
Heero was being mysteriously tight-lipped about the spirit  
familiar. There were many questions that Duo needed answers to.  
Abandoning the drawing room, Duo headed upstairs. Unseen by a  
living soul, the eyes of Relena's portrait blazed with fury.  
  
~oo0oo~  
  
Striking home the last nail, Heero wiped his sweaty brow and  
shimmied down from the stable roof. Within he heard two of the  
horses whinnying. Now that the weather damage had been repaired,  
maybe he and Duo could take a ride across the estate's 200  
acres? He felt guilty for showing him the portrait in the Old  
House. Yesterday he thought it was all a mirage during his  
discovery. He chalked his nightmare up to that and the attack on  
Duo. He would have to keep a close eye on him tonight.  
  
Hefting the toolbox he strode back toward the house. Out of the  
corner of his eye, he glimpsed a figure in white walking out of  
the derelict gazebo.  
  
"Hey!" he called.  
  
~oo0oo~  
  
Duo emerged onto the landing and turned several times to get his  
bearings; it would be easy to lose yourself within Collinwood's  
labyrinthine hallways. A sound from nearby drew his attention.  
Moving toward the first door, he could distinctly make out an  
argument.  
  
He jumped back as the door opened. Virginia caught her breath in  
surprise, shutting off the room firmly behind her. "Oh, you  
frightened me," she frowned.  
  
"Was there someone in there with you?" Duo asked.  
  
"No," she laughed. "You'll have to forgive me. I'm used to  
talking to myself."  
  
Duo didn't believe her for a second. He was positive that two  
female voices were talking in that room.  
  
"I've done everything I can to make your room comfortable,"  
Virginia said. "How long will you be staying with us?"  
  
"I'm not sure," Duo replied.  
  
Virginia nodded curtly and started to leave. "Just a minute," he  
called. "What's up there?"  
  
She turned and looked at the stairway at the end of the hall.  
"Nothing you would be interested in."  
  
"Is that the tower I saw from last night?"  
  
"Yes, but the west wing hasn't been used in years," she  
countered. "If you'll excuse me, I have work to do."  
  
Duo watched her go, still baffled by her strange behavior. As  
soon as she turned the corner he opened the bedroom door. He was  
disappointed to find it completely empty. Leaning against the  
doorframe, he felt a familiar exhilaration. The search for the  
unexplained.  
  
All of a sudden his flesh began to tingle. He felt a presence  
close by. Slowly turning on his heel, he found a figure standing  
at the end of the hall. The light from a window shone straight  
through the apparition. Duo took a few steps closer and found  
that it was a ghost of a man, a man who looked almost exactly  
like his partner Quatre!  
  
"Quatre?" he whispered.  
  
In slow motion he gestured for him to follow, then he  
disappeared up the stairs. Catching his breath, Duo ran after  
him. The staircase led him to yet another hallway. He searched  
frantically for his guide and found him standing before another  
door waiting for him. Amazingly, he turned and faded away.  
  
Without hesitation, Duo ran down the length of the hall. His  
hand grasped the door handle and twisted, only to find it  
locked. He turned in frustration, not knowing how to proceed.  
Maybe he could find a key downstairs? The sound of tumblers  
turning caused him to whirl back around. Trying the door again,  
it opened with ease.  
  
The door pulled open, stretching a thick coating of cobwebs  
along with it. Duo tore his hands through and headed up a  
twisting staircase. From somewhere up ahead he could see light.  
The stone walls finally opened out into a large circular room  
filled with shelf upon shelf of books. But what took Duo's  
breath away was a sight in the center of the room.  
  
At an old mahogany desk, reading a book, sat the young man who'd  
led him here. Instead of the translucent form he'd first seen,  
he seemed to be just as solid and real as him. Except for the  
yellow suit and flowing velvet cape, he was the exact image of  
Quatre.  
  
He approached him with tentative steps, afraid he might vanish.  
"Hello?" he called.  
"Who are you?"  
  
The young man looked up at last. "Daniel. I'm not supposed to be  
here." His voice had a scared, sing-song quality.  
  
Daniel? He'd just read about a Daniel in the family history  
book. Then, the pieces clicked together. "Daniel Collins?  
Spencer Collins' brother?"  
  
A look of sadness passed over his pale face. With both hands he  
lifted up the small book to Duo. "This is for you," he told him.  
  
He gently took the ragged little book. It was so old that it  
nearly fell apart in his hands. Opening to the first page, Duo's  
eyes widened in shock.  
  
THE JOURNAL OF SPENCER COLLINS 1797  
  
He looked back up, but Daniel was gone.  
  
-TBC- 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: What's mine is mine, what's theirs is theirs. I  
don't own these characters and would very much not like to be  
sued.  
  
Chapter Six:  
  
Duo gleefully flipped through the book a couple times, glancing  
at the pages filled with scrawling ink. He sat down at the  
library table and chose a page that had a flower pressed inside  
it to read.  
  
Except that he couldn't read it. The writing on the page was  
smudged; like the book had been left out in the rain or maybe  
the flower's moist warped the ink.  
  
Duo turned to the next page, hoping that he could pick up what  
the page said by the context surrounding it. But that page was  
smeared as well and the page after that. In fact, most of the  
book was filled with smeared pages, like Spencer Collins wasn't  
careful to let the ink dry before turning to the next page, thus  
smearing it.  
  
However, the first dozen or so pages were clear and easy to  
read. Duo skimmed through, noting the loose, wandering style of  
Spencer Collin's narrative. The first part was filled with  
useless stories about how the cook smacked his hand for sticking  
his fingers in the melting chocolate for dessert and how he once  
played cricket through the rose garden with his friends.  
  
In spite of this mundanely to the journal, the last clearly  
written page was quite informative.  
  
_"Father invited the seamstresses from town today. I am to have  
a new suit coat made," Duo read aloud. "He says that it is time  
to involve myself in the family business and that I am to help  
him negotiate with the Du Pres family. The Du Pres's are a  
boring family who live near here and are quite full of  
themselves. It's rumored that they have winched every tavern  
wench on the east coast."_  
  
If Duo remembered the legend of Spencer Collins properly, it was  
the arrival of the Du Pres's that sparked off the tragedy. The  
Du Pres's brought with them Spencer Collin's secret lover as  
well as his eventual wife, Relena.  
  
There had to be more clues here. The ghost of Daniel wouldn't  
have led him here without reason. The journal must hold more  
clues for him to find.  
  
* * *  
  
Heero found Duo like that hours later, ensconced in the library,  
flipping through another book he had pulled off the shelves.  
Piles of books surrounded him while the journal lay nearby on  
the seat of the next chair over.  
  
"Find any witches, yet?" Heero asked, coming up behind the  
small, beautiful young man and circling his arms around him.  
Heero leaned over Duo's shoulder to read over the page he was  
looking at.  
  
"Actually, quite a few. The family was accused of witchcraft  
quite a few times. They had to endure many different witch  
trials, sometimes winning, sometimes loosing."  
  
"Ok, we have screaming skull ghosts and witches. Any warlocks,  
vampires, werewolves?"  
  
"You don't know much about the Collin's family, do you? The  
local magistrates had to deal with vampires, were wolves, and  
even a Frankenstein like monster." Duo turned around to kiss  
Heero lightly on the lips. "And they're not warlocks, they're  
male witches."  
  
"Please don't tell me that you're going to tell me their history  
tonight. I don't want a bedtime story."  
  
"Mmm," Duo said, nuzzling Heero's neck, "I can think of better  
bedtime activities."  
  
"Just so long as we don't break the bed. Then I would have to  
fix it!" Heero explained. "Come on, Virginia has dinner all  
ready. I told her we'd eat with her then clean it up ourselves."  
  
"More time alone with me?"  
  
"Of course," Heero said, sashaying his hips as he walked out the  
door.  
  
Duo followed eagerly.  
  
Dinner could have been quiet. It probably would have been quiet  
if Duo hadn't joined. He talked animatedly throughout dinner,  
waving and explaining how wonderful it was to be at Collinwood  
manner and the wonderful research he could get done. He skimmed  
over how he found it and moved on to what he had read and now  
understood about the fabulous house.  
  
Virginia and Heero just smiled companionably over the table,  
waiting for Duo to talk himself out. He was still talking when  
the others got their fill and Virginia begged her leave.  
  
Heero mutely started clearing the table, smiling affectionately  
the whole time. No wonder Duo was so oral; he exercised those  
muscles so much. (AN: Bad joke _)  
  
Heero took care of the big plates; the bowls of potatoes, the  
salad, and the main course of ham while Duo took care of the  
drinks and condiments. He was putting away the horseradish sauce  
when he became very silent.  
  
Worried, Heero hurried over to see what was the matter.  
  
"Duo?"  
  
Duo smiled and pulled out the bottle of Hershey's syrup.  
  
"Oooh, chocolate milk," Heero exclaimed, pulling out the milk  
and getting a glass.  
  
"Um, actually, I was thinking that since we have a four poster  
bed and all..."  
  
Heero's jaw dropped. "You want... you want to tie me up?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, yeah. I want to tie you up and lick you all over," Duo  
said with a gleam in his eye. He poured out a dollop of the  
sauce on his fingers, reached up, and coated Heero's lips with  
it. He then was kissing his lover in earnest, making sure to  
lick all the chocolate off his lips and tonsils.  
  
* * *  
  
They both fell asleep after stripping the bed with linins. Heero  
had the slack jawed look of someone well fucked while Duo had a  
smirk of someone who'd just gotten his cake and ate it too,  
which was quite accurate.  
  
During the night, Duo woke up for a while, appreciating the  
beauty that was his lover. It had been so cute to see Heero  
hesitate at not just being tied up but also of getting down and  
dirty on the sheets. Duo had to promise to do the laundry  
himself tomorrow before he got his perfect soldier subdued. It  
had been quite the banquette as Duo had explored that wonderful  
body.  
  
It was apparent to Duo that Heero hadn't been made love to too  
much. He was a bit hesitant to explore Duo's body and missed  
some obvious male hot spots. Heero seemed to go more towards the  
actual act or towards blowjobs, skipping the exciting foreplay.  
It had been a joy for Duo to show him just how much secondary  
routes could be.  
  
It made Duo curious as to what else he could teach the other  
man.  
  
Heero whined in his sleep, his face twisting in a grimace. He  
curled up a bit, as if protecting himself, causing Duo to act  
without thought. He pulled his wonderful lover into his arms,  
running a soothing hand over that smooth and perfect backside.  
  
In his sleep, Heero shrieked and batted at Duo, like he was  
trying to push him away and pull him forward at the same time.  
He cried out one more time before flopping over on his other  
side and curling the other way, his head back, arms forward, and  
legs down.  
  
Duo shushed him and fitted his body as best he could to Heero's  
distress one. It had the desired effect and Heero slipped off  
into a more peaceful sleep. After a while, Duo was lulled to  
sleep himself by Heero's steady breath.  
  
* * *  
  
It was much later; in the early lights of dawn that Duo woke a  
second time. The problem was, that this time he woke up to the  
absence of warmth besides him. The sheets were quite cold and  
most of them had been dragged off the bed and trailed onto the  
floor.  
  
Worried, Duo wrapped a sheet around him against the chill of the  
morning air and went in search of his lover.  
  
He checked the bathroom first and then moved onto the kitchen.  
When no Heero was apparent, he looked quickly outside, poking  
his head out the door and yelling for Heero but when no  
answering cry came, he then moved onto the rest of the house.  
  
He finally found Heero in the main living room at the front of  
the house. The room was freezing cold in spite of the roaring  
fire in the fireplace. The large glass doors had been left open  
and Duo crossed the room to close them.  
  
"Jesus, Heero, still used to Siberian winters?" Duo joked as he  
turned around rubbing his arms. "I'm guessing the fire was for  
more aesthetic purposes then just that you were cold."  
  
Heero didn't respond. He just continued to stare into the  
fireplace. In fact, his whole continence was off, now that Duo  
looked. Heero didn't have any goose pimples, despite the cold in  
the room and other parts didn't shrink either. Duo had thought  
nothing of Heero's nakedness but now that he was standing here  
examining the man, it did seem a bit odd. It wasn't that Heero  
was shy about his body, he was just cautious because he didn't  
want to flash Virginia or her nephew and would wear at least  
jeans or a sheet when leaving the bedroom.  
  
"Heero, are you all right?" Duo stepped forward into the other  
man's view.  
  
When Heero didn't respond, Duo reached out a hand to touch his  
shoulder.  
  
The response was immediate. Heero's eyes snapped open widely  
then scanned the room. His arms also jerked up and he took half  
a step away from Duo.  
  
"Wha... huh...," Heero shook his head trying to clear it before  
taking in the room again. "Duo, what's going on?"  
  
"I don't know. I found you standing here a few minutes ago. I  
think you were sleep walking."  
  
"I don't sleep walk." The tone he used was firm and would break  
no argument.  
  
"Do you remember how you got here or when you built the fire or  
anything?" Duo peered over Heero's shoulder, noting that the  
sheets had been pulled off the furniture and a couple piece had  
been moved. "Do you have any memories of anything at all?"  
  
"No, I... no," Heero was clearly puzzled.  
  
"Have you had any weird dreams lately or been under a lot of  
stress?"  
  
"No. Yes. Arg, I've been having dreams about you and me lately.  
They're not bad," Heero smirked at Duo. "But I keep calling you  
something else and you're dressed differently."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Well, I keep calling you Jamison," Heero furrowed his brow,  
trying to recall all the details of his strange dreams. "And you  
called me Spencer."  
"Do you remember the dream you had tonight? A dream you had a  
few minutes ago? Some occasional sleepwalkers dream of some  
event or something and respond to it in their sleep. I've read a  
report of a woman nervous about her travel plans in the morning  
and find that she had repacked everything in her sleep. Another  
one I've read is a man in Kentucky who had a presentation about  
a building he designed and found that he had reconstructed the  
entire thing out of Popsicle sticks."  
  
"No, I don't remember any dream but yeah, I think you're right,  
I was having a dream. I was dreaming about... I think it was  
about you but that's not right. You were in the dream but it was  
about... It was... I don't know. This is not good, Duo."  
  
"Well, I think it's a good thing that we have a four poster  
bed."  
  
"Duo, I'm being serious here."  
  
"And you don't think I am? I think keeping you tied to that bed  
as my sex slave is a very good idea."  
  
"Duo Maxwell, you are one exasperating man."  
  
"Hmm," Duo moved in to kiss the frustrated look off of Heero's  
face.  
  
Heero moved in for the kill, throwing his arms around the  
smaller man and pressing deep kisses. Duo was quickly  
overbalanced and fell to the floor, Heero straddling him.  
  
"Ever done it naked by the light of a fire?" Heero whispered  
huskily in Duo's ear as he nibbled on it.  
  
Duo cupped Heero's ass cheeks, squeezing them hard, hard enough  
to make Heero squeak.  
  
"No, don't believe I have," Duo easily lied.  
  
Above them, the woman in the portrait frowned deeply. She did  
not want to see this.  
  
* * *  
  
Duo sat down in the seat by the window in their shared bedroom.  
It was midmorning and he could hear Virginia vacuuming  
somewhere. Heero could clearly be seen through this window on  
the roof of the outdoor summer kitchen fixing it.  
  
He thought that he could study the history of the family some  
more and had settled down in the chair for the afternoon. The  
room was quite bright and cheerful in the day. It made Old Lucy  
look mundane and plain, even if she was a human skull.  
  
To his side on the table, he had a glass of tea with lemon  
slices in it and a pile of books he had brought down from the  
library. The first book he picked off the stack was Spencer  
Collin's journal. Maybe there were things he missed on his first  
reading.  
  
Duo read the journal slowly and in depth, turning over the  
information on the clearly written pages in his mind. There  
really didn't seem to be anything there. He read the part about  
the father summoning the seamstresses and about the Du Pres's  
coming. He turned the page to look at the unreadable pages.  
  
Except that they were not unreadable anymore. He could clearly  
see the scrawling script talk about gossip the seamstresses had  
passed on. Excited, Duo flipped a couple more pages, skimming  
them. Dozens more were clearly written, up until the time the Du  
Pres's actually arrived and had a formal dinner between the two  
families.  
  
Duo was overjoyed. There was more of the journal to read; maybe  
that was why Daniel directed him to the book. If he hadn't been  
so pig headed he would have thought of the fact that the library  
wasn't very well lit and that it would have been harder to read  
the journal. The light was quite bright by the window and he  
could read so much. Too bad the rest of the journal was slightly  
smudgy but maybe with time and patience, he could transcribe  
some of what Spencer Collins had written.  
  
-TBC-  
  
AN: Reviews are always welcome. Particularly flames. My dogs  
find it entertaining when I throw myself on the floor, shriek  
like banshee, and beat my fists, feet, and head on the carpeting  
in a fit of shameful tantrum- ing. I hear that they're  
considering me for an Academy Award for Best Performance as a  
Toddler. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: What's mine is mine, what's theirs is theirs. I don't own  
these characters and would very much not like to be sued. AND REVIEWS  
ARE ALWAYS WANTED!!!! ^_^;  
  
Chapter Seven:  
  
Duo swallowed the last of his luke-warm tea and then settled in for an  
afternoon of reading. He gave one last glance at his lover, who had  
now stripped off his sweat-soaked T-shirt. Heero would be busy all day  
with the leaky roof, leaving him the whole afternoon to read the  
journal. Virginia was out in the gardens paying some TLC to the tomato  
plants and Cristoff was nowhere to be seen. As he stared at his  
shirtless lover Duo was caressed with a sense of Deja´vous.  
Smiling, because he loved such mysterious feelings, he bent his head  
to the antique tome.  
~zz~  
....June 12, 1797.  
After the gossiping seamstress left, I still continued to bemoan the  
fact that we had to invite the Du Pres family to dinner to my father;  
but he was not listening to me in the least. I knew what was going on.  
Father was grooming me for the Du Pres girl; I knew it with out ever  
being told. Susannah is her name. I am only eighteen years old, what  
do I want with a wife yet? I've still a lot of living to do, even if  
I've only Collinsport to do it in. The seamstress had babbled on about  
a Du Pres 'boy´. All father had said about him however, was that he  
was the same age as me. Hardly a boy then! Relena will be attending  
tonight's festivities, as well as some other snobbish folk who live on  
the 'hill´. She's just one more reason why I don't want to go. She  
works for us, yet, father and mother insist on inviting her as a guest  
to all of their parties. I get tired of being cornered by her. One  
day, I'll forget that I'm a gentleman and push her away all together.  
But as it is, mother is very fond of her, so I'll continue to put up  
with her unwanted attentions. Personally, I'd rather be out riding my  
new stallion and shooting rabbits in the gardens. But since I can  
hardly to that at night, there is no way to escape the dinner. Well,  
father is calling, the butler is greeting our first guest's to arrive  
coaches.....  
~zz~  
Duo flipped the page, engrossed in the young man's woes. If only life  
were that simple again.  
~zz~  
Virginia straightened up and her back groaned in complaint. She was  
getting far too old to be stooped over in a country garden pulling  
weeds. Soon though, her mistress will once again arise from the other  
world and then she will be rewarded for her century of devotion.  
Virginia turned to watch the lovely young Heero work. The old woman  
wondered what Relena would think of Heero and Duo. They were together  
again, as was their destiny. Relena and Cristoff had broken them up  
once before, the entire tale ended terribly. Would this time be  
different; would Relena finally have her 'Spencer´? And would Cristoff  
have his 'Jamison´? Only time and patience would give the answers to  
those questions. Virginia turned her head away from Heero and back to  
her work. Her mistress would arrive soon, until then; there was much  
to do at the mansion, preparing it for her arrival.  
~zz~  
Tonight I met the Du´Pres 'boy´. I think I am still grinning from the  
evening. I was standing in my customary place at the end of the  
receiving line when the Du´pres entered. The senior Du´Pres presented  
his invitation to the butler, who then announced him. I smiled as each  
of the family members entered into the grand hall, but it soon fell  
when Jamison followed Susannah in. I just stared at Jamison, he was  
so...beautiful. I felt the butterflies start fluttering in my stomach.  
And though I desperately wanted to deny it, I was instantly attracted  
to Jamison. He was introduced to me and we shook hands. I can still  
hear his voice echoing inside of my head. He smiled and greeted me  
like the man that I am. His eyes sparkled and were a very beautiful  
amethyst. His lips were full and delightfully red. I swallowed hard  
and returned his greeting, hoping beyond hope that the hall was dim  
enough not to show him the blush that now stained my neck, ears and  
throat. He held my hand in a firm grip as we shook; his beauty  
enthralled me. He stared at me back for a minute longer than a man  
ought to stare at another, he felt the same stirrings I did, I'm sure  
of it. Finally, he smiled and we parted, I only hoped that father did  
not see the look of disappointment on my face when he released my  
hand. Finally, I found my voice and offered Jamison a cordial, which  
he accepted. It was as easy as that. After pouring, I escorted him to  
a table and then we spent the entire evening sitting close and  
talking. Jamison loves horses too and game hunting. This thrilled me  
beyond believe. I invited him back to the estate the day after  
tomorrow. I am going to take him for a long ride over our lands. I'm  
sure our cook Virginia will make me a nice picnic lunch. I want our  
day to be just right. Just thinking of Jamison gives me a giddy  
feeling inside my stomach. I'm sure he feels the same. All the same, I  
guess I will find out when we are alone in the forest.....  
~zz~  
"Hmmm." Murmured Duo, flipping the page. He stopped reading and looked  
up and out the window. The deja´vous was back again. For some reason,  
the party, drinking cordials and horseback riding over the acreage  
seemed familiar to him. But he had never been on the estate before, so  
how could that be? Duo turned his gaze out the window toward Heero who  
was busy pounding cedar shakes back into place. Maybe he and Heero  
should take a break in the next couple of days and take the horses for  
a leisurely ride. Maybe Virginia could build them a lunch too. It  
struck Duo as odd that the cook from over two hundred years ago was  
named Virginia too.  
~zz~  
  
For once, Heero Yuy slept peacefully, untroubled by visions or  
nightmares. He lay sprawled upon the four-poster bed; arms spread  
wide, powerful legs covered by twisted, sweat-dampened sheets.  
  
Duo lay beside him, marveling at the passionate, yet tender lover  
hidden behind the deceptive facade of a calculating soldier.  
  
//Collinwood is full of mystery and intrigue, but nothing here is as  
fascinating as you are.//  
  
Duo lifted his upper body, resting his weight on both elbows, fixing  
his intense gaze on his lover's face. He took in the tousled brown  
hair; the dark, lush eyelashes that rested upon pale, smooth skin; the  
pert, impudent bit of a nose; and sweet, pliant lips that called to  
him.  
  
Unable to deny himself the pleasure, Duo softly brushed his lavish  
lips across the parted mouth of his slumbering love. His excitement  
grew as he tried to drink in all the sensations: the gentle puffs of  
Heero's warm, soft breaths; the soft yielding of silky lips; the  
breathless, husky moan pulled from the waking Heero.  
  
Duo pulled back a few inches from Heero, just far enough to fully view  
the unveiling of dazzling Persian blue eyes and the slow, sensual,  
radiant smile reserved just for him.  
  
//Beautiful. I'm never going to let you go. Things tend to go to hell  
around us, but we are so right together. All I have to do is convince  
*you* we can be together long-term.//  
  
"So, Duo, what will you do today?" Heero's voice was dark and  
intimate. "Another day of witches, were wolves and ghosts found in the  
histories of Collinwood?"  
  
Duo couldn't resist; he lifted his left arm and slowly trailed a  
finger down the center of Heero's firm, muscled chest, continuing  
lower, over his stomach and further, only stopping when reaching the  
already stiff, twitching hardness of the other man's penis. Duo  
grasped the shaft firmly, and started stroking, slow and steady. He  
smiled in response to the tortured groans emitted by the aroused  
Heero.  
  
"Today, Heero," Duo growled, "we will not concentrate on spooky tales  
or evil creatures. Today we concentrate on *us*. We'll go riding,  
explore the grounds, maybe take a nice picnic lunch with us."  
  
Heero, flushed and panting, could barely find breath for words. "Duo,  
umm...I have w-work to do."  
  
Duo stopped the stroking motions, which immediately provoked a  
strangled cry from his lover.  
  
"Duo, please!"  
  
Duo resumed his movements, this time at a slower, tormenting pace.  
"Today's our day off, Heero, no house repairs for you. Just you and  
me, under a clear sky, riding..."  
  
Duo lowered his lips to Heero's left ear, his voice low and urgent. "I  
want to *ride*, Heero..."  
  
Heero threw his head back against the pillows, eyes closed, mouth  
gasping for air. He moaned as he thrust his hips up, seeking the  
overwhelming pleasure that was so close.  
  
Duo couldn't stop grinning; he used the copious precome leaking from  
Heero's penis to smooth the friction from his movements, his strokes  
now faster and stronger. Duo was determined to have his way; he  
stroked a single finger just under the head, gentle and firm against  
the bundle of nerves. "Heero..."  
  
Heero was beyond reason; the pleasure had built to an unbearable  
level, the need for release overwhelming everything. As Duo stroked  
that sensitive spot one last time, Heero broke, his scream unheard as  
he lost himself, shuddering through the explosive orgasm.  
  
"Yes, Duo! Yes!"  
  
Duo watched as Heero slowly recovered from the sensual overload. After  
a few minutes, he cheerfully leapt from the bed, searching through  
drawers for casual clothes for both men. Turning back to the bed, he  
felt another wave of affection wash over him. But that didn't stop him  
from tossing the blue jeans and t-shirt aimed at Heero's face.  
  
//Direct hit!//  
  
When wary blue eyes emerged from behind the white t-shirt, Duo felt  
ridiculously happy. It was going to be a wonderful day.  
  
"Get up, sleepyhead. It's time to go riding."  
  
-TBC- 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: What's mine is mine, what's theirs is theirs. I  
don't own these characters and would very much not like to be  
sued.  
  
Chapter Eight:  
  
In the afternoon light the ancient walls of Collinwood stood  
impassively watching the couple walk across the estate toward  
the stables. The sun shone brightly, chasing away the shadows,  
which seemed to cling to everything on Widows' Hill. Heero  
remained quiet while a highly excited Duo hurried along. He felt  
on top of the world just from the beaming smile on Duo's face,  
and he hoped it all wasn't a dream. Collinwood had a strange,  
displacing effect on him but he didn't dare mention it to Duo,  
he was already chasing enough ghosts as it was. A sly grin crept  
along Heero's face. Duo was just too damn cute for his own good!  
  
Duo turned back and raised an eyebrow. "Come on, Heero! What are  
you waiting for?"  
  
Shaking off the persistent oddness, Heero raced on ahead  
laughing. "I'm waiting for you!"  
  
Breaking into a jog, Duo followed after his beautiful lover. It  
didn't take the pair long to meet up at the stable. Playfully  
chasing one another through the gate, Duo's feet slid in the  
dirt as Heero reached out and pulled him close. Nuzzling Duo's  
neck from behind, Duo twisted his head around and planted a hot  
kiss on his lips.  
  
Heero gazed down into Duo's eyes, still unable to believe that  
this was really happening. All the years he'd pinned and dreamed  
after the childlike Preventer agent... and now here he was, held  
in his arms.  
  
"Duo?"  
  
"Yes?" he replied, huskily.  
  
"The food's getting cold," Heero said, hefting the picnic  
basket.  
  
"I know something better I'd like to eat." He stood on his tippy-  
toes, leaned forward, and nibbled lightly on Heero's earlobe.  
  
Heero moaned softly, each time Duo touched his skin it lit his  
body on fire. He took a deep breath and pulled Duo further  
inside the stable. "That's why I brought a blanket," he told  
him.  
  
Nearby, horses whinnied and Duo nodded across at a black Arabian  
stallion. "That one reminds me of you."  
  
Heero moved toward the horse and petted him lovingly. "Duo meet  
Wing, named after one of the Collins ancestors."  
  
Duo joined him just outside the gate. "How did you know that?"  
he smiled, clearly impressed.  
  
Heero shrugged a little. "I found Cristoff in here one evening  
and he mentioned it."  
  
"Cristoff? You know I haven't seen this mysterious nephew of  
Virginia's yet!"  
  
"Yeah, I can't imagine where he's been hiding." Heero began to  
walk past each gate. "So, which horse would you like?"  
  
Duo made a great show of thinking, which only caused Heero to  
laugh even harder.  
  
"Alright, I know the perfect one for you," Heero smiled, leading  
Duo down toward the end. He pointed to a gorgeous chestnut mare.  
"This is Shi, named after a spitfire who used to live in the  
haunted house."  
  
"Hi, Shi," Duo said, rubbing the horse between the ears. "Heero  
you should know by now that I don't spit fire, I eat it."  
  
Heero shook his head and lead Wing out. "Come on you walking  
hormone," he told Duo, "let's get this show on the road."  
  
Duo and Heero rode the two horses across the lush Collinwood  
grounds. Heero knew of just the right spot to picnic, and he  
held the jostling basket and the reins tightly. Duo pulled Shi  
back onto the path for the tenth time, the mare definitely had a  
mind of her own choosing to wander off when the mood struck.  
Eventually the trees began to thin and they came to a lake  
sparkling in the sun.  
  
Duo breathed deeply. It was so peaceful here, just the sort of  
place to spend a lazy afternoon. "Heero, it's perfect."  
Something glinting in the light caught his eye. About two miles  
away sat a very odd, dilapidated structure. Duo gaped at what  
looked to be a miniature version of the millennium dome.  
  
"What's that down there?" He pointed.  
  
Heero followed his gaze. "Oh, that's the old conservatory. The  
whole thing's about to cave in."  
  
"It's a bit much for a greenhouse," Duo observed.  
  
Heero dismounted and tied Wing's reins to a nearby tree. "Would  
you stop wrestling with the Collinwood ghosts!"  
  
With that, Duo quickly reined Shi beside Wing and tackled Heero  
as he smoothed out a blanket onto the ground. They fell and  
rolled on top of one another, Duo pinning him down.  
  
"Now this is the kind of wrestling I can get into," he smirked.  
  
Reaching up, Heero pulled Duo over onto his back. Duo lay there  
spread eagled, and looking positively delicious. Duo looked up,  
his mouth parted. Blood boiling, Heero dove down and their lips  
connected.  
  
Duo ran a hand down the man's strong back as Heero worked his  
tongue expertly inside of his mouth. Greedily sucking on Heero's  
probing tongue, Duo's heart raced as he felt a powerful erection  
pressing against his thigh.  
  
Breaking the kiss, Duo looked deep into Heero's burning eyes.  
"Yes, baby, that's exactly what I need."  
  
Lifting up Heero's shirt, Duo practically ripped it off his  
back. His own cock ached within his jeans, desperately yearning  
for the exquisite warmth of Heero's mouth. Reaching under Duo's  
tight gray T-shirt, Heero quickly lifted it over his head to  
rest next to his own. Duo hugged Heero close to his body, their  
bulging crotches grinding.  
  
Under the shining sun, Heero trailed his tongue down to Duo's  
left nipple, all the while expertly unbuttoning Duo's straining  
jeans. Running his long fingers through Heero's thick dark hair,  
Duo gently pressed his head lower. Heero's mouth watered at the  
incredible sight waiting for him. Sliding Duo's pants and boxer  
briefs down to his ankles, Heero swiftly removed his hiking  
boots. Duo kept a firm grip on his lover's firmly rounded ass.  
  
Heero turned back to his completely naked Duo, desire welling  
within him from the delectable vision waiting for him. Spreading  
Duo's legs wide, Heero wrapped his tongue around the throbbing,  
hard shaft. Immediately, Duo gasped with pleasure as Heero's  
lips sucked him all the way down to the base.  
  
Not to be outdone, Duo struggled to catch his breath and with  
some effort managed to position himself before Heero's crotch.  
With one swift movement, he pulled the black pants, which seemed  
to mould to Heero's body down. Duo licked his lips and took hold  
of Heero's dick, giving it a few good strokes. He licked at the  
head and tasted the first sweet drops of precome. It was like an  
overpowering aphrodisiac to him and he swallowed each inch down  
his throat. They lay side by side, holding one another in an  
embrace of lovemaking.  
  
Moistening a finger before returning to Duo's delicious cock,  
Heero slid a finger inside Duo's crack. Duo groaned against his  
cock as Heero's finger penetrated him. He bucked his hips  
wildly, his cock thrusting further into the silky depths of  
Heero's mouth. He couldn't hold back any longer from the mind  
blowing sensations. Soon, Heero was greedily swallowing the  
warmth blasting down his throat. Duo's cries and velvet tongue  
around his shaft sent him over the edge. Duo held his lips  
around the throbbing cock as it exploded inside him. They both  
fell into each other's arms, breathlessly sharing a hot kiss.  
  
oo0oo  
  
After working up a hearty appetite, the two men had dressed and  
washed their flushed faces down by the lake. They'd quickly  
dived into the picnic lunch, inhaling it like they'd inhaled  
each other.  
  
Heero stood beside Wing, staring distantly into the woods. He  
blinked, noticing a hidden path twisting deeper into the  
overhanging trees. Mounting the horse, Heero trotted him toward  
the water's edge where Duo was waiting while Shi finished  
drinking.  
  
"Duo, I'm going to see where that trail leads," he said.  
  
"Alright, I'll be along in a few." Keeping an eye on Heero as he  
disappeared into the wood, Duo exhaled deeply. Heero was simply  
amazing. He always credited himself with having an overactive  
sex drive, but Heero's was full throttle. He grinned to himself,  
feeling a stirring in his already heated crotch.  
  
He gazed about the breathtaking landscape, wondering how many  
Collins's had played, worked and lived by the lake. His eyes  
fell on the conservatory once more, and Duo blinked the sun out  
of his eyes. Far in the distance he could see a young blonde  
woman, dressed in a flowing white gown entering the derelict  
building.  
  
"Hey!" he shouted, but the figure paid no head to his warning  
and vanished inside. Pulling Shi away from the lake, he quickly  
mounted and rode hard down toward the conservatory.  
  
The closer he became, Duo could see what a bad state of  
disrepair it was in. It must have been pretty impressive in its  
day, but now it was a death trap. Sliding from the mare, which  
began to graze in the overgrown grass, Duo hurried inside.  
  
"Hello?" he called, his voice carrying around the curved walls  
like an echo chamber. The building was composed entirely of  
glass; most of the panes were busted and their remains littered  
the ground.  
  
Venturing carefully further, Duo cast his keen, amethyst eyes  
about for the young woman. "Listen, I saw you come in. It's not  
safe. Where are you?"  
  
He walked past rows of cracked tables bearing long dead plants.  
Was the girl hiding, afraid of getting in trouble for  
trespassing on the estate?  
  
oo0oo  
  
An eerie chill passed over Heero and even his horse seemed to  
sense uneasiness in the air. The trail was only big enough for  
Wing to get through, the trees closed in threatening to seal the  
old path. A strong wind rustled the leaves and a wailing pricked  
up both Heero and Wing's ears. He patted the horse reassuringly.  
  
"Don't worry, boy, it's just the widows." He realized he was  
half trying to convince himself. Heero Yuy didn't scare easily.  
Damn that cab driver for telling him that legend!  
  
"I think we'd better get back to Duo," he decided. Just as he  
moved to turn Wing around, the path abruptly opened out. "Well,  
what do you think about that?" he asked aloud. With a snort,  
Wing trotted on ahead.  
  
Heero gasped, finding a cemetery on the other side of the wood.  
It was neglected with a rusted fence; the old gravestones  
covered in moss, leaves, and fallen limbs. "Duo is going to love  
this," he whispered, knowing full well that Duo would go ape  
over a find like this.  
  
He stared about the columns, mausoleums and flaking stones for a  
moment longer. Then he froze, his eyes growing wide. Standing at  
the entrance to the cemetery was a stunningly beautiful woman,  
her ice blue eyes calling out to him. Heero found himself  
dismounting and moving uncontrollably toward her open arms...  
  
oo0oo  
  
A shard of glass crunched under Duo's hiking boot as he  
continued to search the conservatory. He'd made a complete  
circle and the only way inside was the doorway he'd used.  
Certainly she couldn't have crawled out one of the jagged  
windows. An excited grin spread across his face. Maybe he'd  
actually seen another ghost! But this time it wasn't Daniel, no  
the figure had been too far away. Could it have been Josette? Or  
Beth? Perhaps it was Daphne? A list of names from the history  
book flashed through his mind.  
  
Duo stopped his frenzied pacing and froze. A loud cracking broke  
out high above him. He swallowed hard and nervously looked up.  
The fragile glass was splintering in delicate spider web  
patterns all around.  
  
Heart pounding, Duo instinctively covered his head as the glass  
imploded into a million sparkling fragments...  


* * *

TBC......  


* * *

  
AN: Bwahaha! Damn cliffies. I'm cursed I tell ya! ; 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: What's mine is mine, what's theirs is theirs. I don't own these characters and would very much not like to be sued.

Heart pounding, Duo instinctively covered his head as the glass imploded into a million sparkling fragments...

Duo felt, rather then heard the loud rumble as more of the Conservatory ceiling caved in. He had a split moment to worry what would happen to Heero if he died here when he felt the large metal beam crash into him, pinning him to the floor and throwing him into darkness.

A little ways off, Christoff sniffed the air, his whole body aroused, as he smelled the fresh scent of blood. The desire to feed was overwhelming and in fact overtook him as he moved through the ruins to the unconscious body laid out to him like a banquette.

He picked up the limp hand and licked the blood oozing from the cuts like he was lapping at the finest wine. His arousal grew and he turned the hand over to plunge into Duo's flesh and feed.

So lost was Christoff into the blood lust that he didn't notice Duo's eyes opening a crack or the groans as he regained consciousness.

Duo opened his eyes to the delicious sensations running down his arm and straight into his cock. He couldn't help but get hard even though he hurt terribly all over. It felt like the some one was licking and biting his arm and it didn't hurt or anything, in fact if felt too much like Heero was giving him a blowjob.

To his horror, it wasn't Heero sucking at his arm; it was someone or maybe something else. He wasn't entirely sure what was going on, his head felt very mushy and full of cotton but he was sure this wasn't right. Duo pulled feebly to get his arm back.

Upon feeling his victim struggle, Christoff came back to himself and chuckled in delight. "I really have to hand it to you, old witch, that was very cleaver, luring him into my hiding place and offering him up to me. You thought that I would kill this one, finish the job you started with the roof, leaving the other free and unattached for your manipulations. No, it will not end like this." His smile was feral as he easily lifted the beam pinning Duo to the ground, thus freeing him. Duo had slipped back into unconsciousness, enabling Christoff to easily pick the man up and carry him out of the Conservatory.

Outside, the mare grazed but bucked when Christoff emerged from the building. The animal skittered away, not trusting the man, but a few curt words and deeply penetrating eyes, Christoff soon had control over the spitfire horse. Carefully, he arranged Duo in the saddle, positioning him so it would be hard for him to fall off.

Christoff next grabbed the reigns, pulling the horse's head to look directly into his eyes. "You will take this man carefully back to the stables. You will not let him fall off, if he does so, you will guide another to where he rests." He stroked along the horses head and pointed the mare in the direction in which she was to go.

The mare followed orders, going gently over the path, not letting her burden fall.

The beautiful, blue-eyed woman beckoned to Heero, and suddenly, the surroundings around him changed. The sky, already in the throes of dusk, darkened more and the air around the woman became thick, like mist; the scent of lavender perfumed the air heavily.

Heero felt like he was in a dream, but yet, he knew that he was awake. Wasn't he?

Inexplicably drawn by the young woman's yearning for him, Heero took a few, jerky steps towards her.

But then he stopped when a young man, looking very much like Duo appeared in the near distance off to his left. The handsome youth had materialized directly in front of a giant red rose bush that had long since grown wild.

Uncertain of whose arms he should go to now; Heero looked back and forth between the two.

In an effort to sway the Japanese man, the woman spoke; her voice was soft on the warm breeze. "Come to me Heero, it's me you desire, it is me who has always loved you. I can give you anything your heart desires." Relena said as she held out her delicate arms waiting for him to come to her.

The name 'Relena' popped into Heero's head. He wondered why he should know who this lady was, he had never met her before, or had he? The former gundam pilot no longer knew what was real and what wasn't anymore.

"Spencer...." Called the male voice.

Heero automatically spun his head to the familiar name. "Jamison?" He asked, more confused than ever.

"Yes Spencer, it is me. Don't go to her, she only wants to own you. Come to me, like you did once before. I promised you once, long ago, that I would love you until the end of time. I'm here now to prove to me to me."

Jamison's voice floated over to Heero's ears, and suddenly, it seemed right to him. Right that he should want the man named Jamison; a man who looked just like his Duo. Heero turned from his original direction and went directly toward Jamison, whose arms were wide and waiting.

"No!" Screeched Relena.

Heero stepped into Jamison's arms, and he was instantly enfolded into a tight embrace.

Jamison reached up and kissed Heero softly on his mouth and sighed, "Go to sleep, my love."

Immediately upon hearing the command, Heero felt his lids grow heavy, then they shut, and he was asleep.

"You bastard!" Screamed Relena. "You are not allowed to interfere!"

Jamison's image disappeared, and Cristoff's replaced him. He still held the limp, slumbering Heero in his arms. He crooked his strong arm under Heero's knees and easily scooped the man up. Cristoff shot Relena, a triumphant look. "All's fair in love and war Relena."

"He's mine."

"Lena, please, screeching like a pea-hen does not become one of such beauty as yours."

"You vile....blood sucking...." Hissed the very angry Relena.

"Now, now my pet, you sound just like the town gossips....tsk, tsk, tsk, such language." His exaggerated voice admonished.

Cristoff was relishing that for once, he had the upper hand.

"I served up that re-incarnation of Jamison Du pres on a silver platter for you. Why did you come here and ruin my attempt at Spencer?" Relena managed to regain her composure. She was positive that Cristoff would take her offering, readily, if not greedily. Thus removing the only real hurdle between her and Spencer.

"Because my darling, giving me Jamison like you did was just too easy. These men are not Jamison and Spencer, oh, they are re-incarnations of them, but they are not those two boys. Duo and Heero are different, their love for each other is stronger then even they know, we must win them over without trickery. You must become human again Relena and then tempt Heero. Maybe this time he will actually fall for your charms." The alluring vampire laughed softly at his rival.

Relena threw Cristoff a cruel smile. "And maybe the beautiful Duo will come to you willingly this time, and not be taken by force...hmmm."

"Are you challenging me Lena."

"Yes, I am my darling. I will become mortal once again, and then we shall see who succeeds in winning the other first."

Cristoff loved a challenge. "Then it is a bet. The loser will be damned to hell for all eternity...."

"And the winner will spend all of eternity, living out their dreams with their intended." Finished Relena.

Her image faded away, and Cristoff was left alone in the dark, with Heero. Unable to resist, Cristoff put his lips to Heero's very sexy, pulsing carotid artery. He gently sunk his teeth in and took a small sip.

Heero's body stiffened slightly in response to the stimuli; in his dreams, it was Duo who was roughly nibbling at his neck.

Heero's blood was hot and flavored with the spices of his picnic dinner. The blue-eyed man was absolutely delicious and Cristoff desperately wanted to keep drinking, but that would be against his and Lena's rules of the game. So mustering all of his self-control, Cristoff reluctantly pulled out. He balanced the sleeping man in his arms, and set off for the mansion.

Z

The horse entered the darkened horse barn and rearing up she dumped her burdened to the ground then she wandered over to her customary stall to await her evening oats.

Duo's limp body hit the ground; his fall was broken by the sawdust that covered the hardwood floor. The bump knocked him into consciousness. Duo rolled to his back and his eyes fluttered open. He blinked them clear, taking him several seconds to realize where he was. The last thing he could remember was chasing the young woman through the dilapidated conservatory. He wondered why his head ached and raised his right arm and pushed his damp bangs away from his sweaty forehead. In the dim barn light, he caught sight of blood and froze. It took Duo a few seconds to focus his eyes, and once he did, he slowly pulled back his hand from his face and studied the marks at his wrist.

Were they teeth marks? He asked himself.

It was at that point that Duo found the strength to sit up, which he did slowly. Looking around, he realized that Heero was not in the barn with him.

Strange. He thought that Heero was with him in the shattered conservatory, sucking...his wrist? Duo studied the rapidly healing marks again. No. That wasn't right. Heero had taken a different trail than him. Suddenly worried about his lover, Duo jumped up to his feet. But it was way to soon to try and stand up. His head swam dizzily in circles and the agent had to grab the side of one of the stalls in order to steady himself. Duo looked up and out the large barn entrance and saw that it was full dark already. Now he really was worried. Why wasn't Heero here with him, in fact, how did he even make it back to the barn. Duo turned and saw that his horse was in her stall, still saddled. When his eyes went back to the doors, Duo could see a large figure approaching in the moonlight.

In the dark-shadow's arms, was a limp body.

"Heero!" Cried Duo, and headache be damned, he ran for his lover, whom he thought was dead.

Z

"Time to wake up." Whispered Cristoff into Heero's ear when he saw Duo running toward them.

Holding onto a stall-gate for support, Duo found the strength to haul himself toward the stable entrance. The shrouded moon offered little light, and as his amethyst eyes became accustomed to the gloom, he could clearly make out Heero being carried by Cristoff!

"Heero!" he shouted. Forgetting his headache, Duo hurried toward his lover. "What happened?"

"He took a nasty fall from his horse," Cristoff answered silkily. "I just happened to be on that part of the grounds when I saw it happen."

Heero stirred and held a hand to his dazed head. Finding himself in another man's arms, he jumped and Cristoff gently sat him down.

"What the hell happened?" Heero asked, aloud. "Did a truck run me down?"

"Cristoff says you took a fall from your horse," Duo told him, eyeing Cristoff carefully.

Cristoff merely nodded. "Yes, you did. Poor Wing became spooked."

"By what?"

"Spooked?" Heero repeated, half to himself. At the very back of his mind he could see a beautiful blonde woman draped in white, like a forgotten dream.

Duo took Heero aside, feeling somewhat uneasy in Cristoff's presence. "Heero, I don't understand any of this. Something strange happened to me after you left."

Heero sighed heavily, sensing a familiar Duo conspiracy theory at work. "What do you think my falling off a horse means?"

"Why should it mean anything?" Duo was taken aback by Heero's cavalier attitude. "We both know something is happening here. Something that has no explanation."

High above, thunder rumbled and a storm began to form.

Relena's spirit drifted through the eerie darkness between worlds. Anger had forced her to make a pact with the insolent Cristoff. How dare he defy her after she'd given him the gift of eternal life.

Floating between the ash-colored columns, she moved with determination through the mist. In the distance she could hear cries of torment. Plumes of sparkling fire appeared all around.

Her journey ended before an immense figure draped in black. An elongated hood hid any trace of the evil figure's features.

Relena bowed her head in supplication. "Great Diablo, I seek your help," she whispered.

"Relena," his voice boomed. "You have served me well in the past."

"I must return to the land of the living to complete my curse," she said.

Diablo crossed his cloaked arms, regarding her as a plaything. "If I do this, what will you give me in return?"

At this, Relena looked up. "The soul of an innocent who dares to stand between me and the one I love."

A cracking bellow of thunder resounded off the Netherworld chamber. Relena's use of the word 'love' being forbidden.

"NO!" Diablo cried, pointing a finger at the ghostly witch. "If you return as a mortal, it must be to fulfill the curse, nothing more."

"Yes, I understand."

"If you have not succeeded, you will take the innocent's place here."

"There is another who might prevent my plans," Relena quickly interjected. "I must have my powers when I return. It is the only way I can propagate the curse."

After a long silence, Diablo spoke. "Agreed."

Relena bowed once more and her spirit began to fade. She smiled a secret smile. She would defy him anyway...

Opening the great oak doors, Duo helped Heero into the foyer. Cristoff followed close behind, keeping a close watch on the pair. Hearing the commotion, Virginia rushed in from the drawing room.

"Could you get Heero something warm to drink?" Duo asked.

"Duo, I said I was fine," Heero replied.

Virginia was at his side in an instant. "What happened?" she demanded. Duo noted that she aimed her accusatory tone at Cristoff.

"He took a fall while exploring the eastern part of the estate," Cristoff told her.

Duo looked from one to the other. It was almost as if Virginia and Cristoff were playing a verbal tennis match. He decided to pursue this line of thought for later. Holding tight to Heero's waist, he headed upstairs.

"Come on, what you need is a hot bath and plenty of rest."

"Yes, nurse."

As the two lovers ascended the great staircase, Virginia shot a look full of daggers at the smirking Cristoff.

A short time later, both Duo and Heero sat inside a large tub filled with steamy water. Duo sat with his back to Heero, who gently scrubbed his body with a sponge.

"Who would have thought a picnic could turn into such a disaster?" Heero said, kneading Duo's back muscles.

"Oh, I wouldn't call it a complete disaster," Duo replied, remembering their passionate lovemaking. He turned to look at a strange bruise on Heero's neck. "How did you get this?" he wondered.

Some hidden instinct forced Heero to shy away from Duo's question. "From the fall," he told him, although he couldn't quite remember tumbling from the horse. Heero glanced back at the quizzical look on Duo's gorgeous face. "Stop worrying, it's nothing. This house is really starting to get to you."

"I think you're right," he said, slowly. "Heero, I saw a ghost."

"You saw a what?" Heero jerked and tightened his arms around Duo, causing the warm water to splash over the sides.

"The ghost of Daniel Collins to be precise," Duo continued. "He lead me to a closed off section of the house. It's funny because he looked exactly like Quatre."

Heero reached forward and pulled Duo in close until their noses touched. "Baby, are you sure you weren't dreaming?"

"Of course not!" he protested. "It's just that ever since you showed me Jamison's portrait, I haven't been able to get him out of my mind. It's almost as if we're connected in some way."

"The only connection I want you to make is with me," Heero said, dreamily.

Distracted by his thoughts, Duo pulled away. "But what if I am his reincarnation?"

With a hurricane like force, the storm wind whipped about the walls of the great house. Inside the room that he and his lover now shared, Duo was curled up next to the roaring fireplace. From his position he watch Heero sleep in the enormous canopy bed.

In his hands laid the journal of Spencer Collins, and in his lap the Collins family history book. The answers he needed to solve the mysteries of Collinwood were inside these tomes. The spirit of Daniel Collins had led him to the journal for a reason. With pencil and notepad in hand, Duo began to read.

Opening the fragile cover, Duo began to read by the flickering firelight.

_May 21st, 1797 'How much longer must I hide my feelings? The moment I laid eyes on Jamison duPrés I fell in love.'_

_June 10th, 1797 'Relena came to my room today, professing her love. It made me heartsick to turn her down. She is a lovely girl, but I cannot love her. My heart belongs to another.'_

_June 11th, 1797 'Last night I survived a terrible experience. For no reason I began to choke. Mother called Doctor Reeves and he could not fathom the source of my affliction. All were greatly distressed, even poor Relena. I feel that it was Jamison's love that saved me, for he never left my side once.'_

_June 15th, 1797 'What a wondrous day! I spirited Jamison away to spend time alone together at the seaside. His laughter fills my soul with joy.'_

_June 17th, 1797 'I confided in Daniel that I'm going to ask Jamison to stay with me. I cannot bear the thought of him returning to Martinique. He is happy for the love I have found, and distressed by several odd happenings.'_

_June 18th, 1797 'I can barely write. My dear brother has taken ill. His malady is as mysterious as mine. God help me. What must I do?'_

_June 20th, 1797 'I am a man lost to himself. Daniel is well, but I had to take drastic actions to save him. Relena came to me two nights ago, promising to heal my brother for a price. She showed me a mixture of special herbs. For a moment, Daniel's condition became better. I agreed to Relena's price, but now I have broken Jamison's heart by taking her as my bride. Only she and father remain happy.'_

_June 22nd, 1797 'The young governess has been arrested for practicing witchcraft! Both Jamison and Daniel are determined to testify on her behalf, against my father's wishes.'_

_June 23rd, 1797 'Daniel came to me with a tale so fantastic that I can barely write. He believes my wife to be responsible for the strange occurrences at Collinwood. My dear brother claims I have been bewitched.'_

Duo stared ahead after reading the final entry. Putting the journal aside, he lifted the heavy history book and searched for the events of 1797. Two days after the last inscription, Daniel Collins died under mysterious circumstances.

He flipped back and found the entry for Jamison duPrés:

_André duPrés and his son Jamison arrived from the West Indian island of Martinique in the summer of 1797. During a business excursion between themselves and the Collins family, young Spencer Collins fell in love with Jamison, a man he described as delicate and warm as the trade winds. He was quite taken with Jamison's beauty, and his feelings were equally tender. They became lovers and vowed to always be together. Walter Collins, Spencer's father, disapproved of the relationship. To appease him, Spencer married the maidservant Relena Bouchard. However, Spencer and Jamison's love could not be broken. Until Jamison's untimely death shattered their dreams. In a tragic accident, Jamison duPrés fell from the cliff at Widows' Hill, just a few hundred yards from the Great House. Spencer grieved himself to death, claiming that Jamison would haunt his heart forever._

Glancing up, Duo wiped at the tears flowing down his cheeks. He was deeply puzzled that there was no mention of Relena's fate. This struck him as odd for a lady who seemed to be revered enough to have a portrait hanging in drawing room downstairs.

He looked down at his notepad, surprised to find that he'd unconsciously doodled the name Jamison over and over again.

Across the room, Heero tossed restlessly. Sighing faintly, he clutched at the sheets. In his dreaming mind an image began to form. He saw a beautiful young woman, rivulets of golden hair framing her face, wearing an eighteenth-century gown. Illuminated in an eerie light, she approached him from the darkness, calling...

'Spencer, can you hear me? Spencer? I must see you and tell you what the future holds. We will be together again. You think you can escape me, but you're wrong. The curse will return...'

Heero awoke and sat up in bed with a start.

A flash of lightning illuminated the windows, and Duo jumped as a loud knock resounded from downstairs.

Duo was surprised at how quickly Heero threw back the sheets and slid into a dressing gown. He actually had to keep time with him as he hurried downstairs to answer the door.

The woman who stood framed in the doorway was simply beautiful. Her petite figure was clothed in a forest green coat. Short, raven hair framed her smiling face. Her eyes... Her eyes were the most stunning shade of blue he'd even seen.

There was something about them that seemed... familiar.

"Thank goodness," she cried. "I didn't know if anyone lived here."

"Come in," Heero offered, standing back.

"Thank you," she said.

"Where were you headed?" Duo asked, finding his voice.

"Oh, I was on my way to Rockport when my blasted car broke down," she told him. "Where are my manners? I'm Cassandra Blair."

Heero smiled warmly, and Duo felt an irrational jolt of jealousy. "Cassandra, I'm Heero, and this is..."

"Duo," Duo answered for him.

"It was very dangerous to take a trip on a night like this," Heero said, leading Cassandra inside the drawing room.

"Don't worry about me, I'm a fighter. I wouldn't be here if I weren't."

"What a beautiful room!" Cassandra twirled around, taking in the antique furniture, the portraits of Collins ancestors. Heero had left to fix her a warm drink.

Duo eyed her warily. Something about her tone... "You've never been here before?" he ventured.

She looked at him, surprised. "Why no, Mr. Duo. How could I?" Turning, she ran her hands along the back of a chaise lounge. "You know, I've always dreamed of living in a house like this."

"Here you are," Heero called, walking back into the drawing room with a hot cup of coffee.

At that precise moment, Duo gasped and his hand went to his mouth. The portrait of Relena!

"Duo, what is it?" Heero asked.

Taking hold of his arm, Duo ushered him out of the room. He looked back at a perplexed Cassandra. "If you'll excuse us a moment?"

Alone in the drawing room, Cassandra moved past the grand piano as lightning flashed outside. She paused before the portrait of Relena Collins. Running a hand through her hair, she stood frozen. Then, a small laugh escaped her lips...

"Duo, what's the matter with you?" Heero demanded once they were out in the foyer.

"Have you noticed the resemblance?"

"What do you mean?"

Duo took a deep breath. "Cassandra looks exactly like the woman in the portrait."

"Relena?" he guessed. "Relena Collins would be nearly 200 years old!"

"She is Relena!" he cried. "Oh, I know her hair is different, but..."

"Duo..." Heero started to protest, but Duo quickly continued.

"Listen, I believe that Relena may have come back as a ghost."

"But Cassandra is flesh and blood."

"I'm not wrong! And unless we do something, someone will die!"

"Duo..."

"I know it!"

"Who?"

Duo chewed on his bottom lip. "The only person that Relena cared for was Spencer Collins..."

Heero exhaled. "Spencer Collins died in the 1700's. Duo, the only people here at Collinwood are you, me, Ginny, Cristoff and Cassandra."

"Then why did she come back?" Duo asked, pointedly. "The only reason she could have come back is to..."

"What?" Heero folded his arms across his chest.

"To settle some kind of a score. But why? I don't understand it, why?"

Heero wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Duo, the legends about this old place are really getting to you. Why don't you get a breath of fresh air?"

Quatre Winner surveyed the foggy, wet streets of Collinsport with a mixture of skepticism and trepidation. Call it empathic intuition, but after reading up on the history of this fishing village he had a distinct 'bad feeling' that Duo needed his help. It didn't aid his conscious that Duo's cell phone remained persistently off.

Booking the first flight to Maine, Quatre had arrived in Bangor where he quickly rented a car. The fifty-mile drive to Collinsport had not been easy, due to a sudden storm. He didn't find anything unnatural about it. This near the coast, storms could materialize out of nowhere. He remembered his father telling him of several he'd been caught off guard in.

Driving around the deserted streets, Quatre sighed wearily. In a way he was frustrated with himself for jumping the gun and come chasing after his partner. Sure, he could clearly see the allure Collinsport's legends held for Duo. What irriated him the most was that Duo dropped everything just to come up here for no reason.

He sincerely hoped Duo was alright, because he couldn't wait to scold him good for this one! Finally, lights appeared in the distance. For a moment, he was beginning to believe this was a ghost town.

Pulling into a parking lot beside a wharf. Quatre stepped out and locked the car door. Ahead of him shone the glowing lights of a pub called The Blue Whale...

Opening an elaborate set of glass doors, Duo stepped out of a side entrance and onto a patio. Thankfully, the storm had subsided. Nearby, he could hear the roaring of the sea.

Why wouldn't Heero listen to him? Surely they had overcome any past obstacles to get where they were. After all the years of antagonism, he truly loved that man with all his heart.

He knew in his gut that there was a connection between Cassandra Blair and Relena Collins... just like the shock of seeing his own likeness in the portrait of Jamison duPrés.

Duo wrapped his arms around his body to keep warm against the icy wind. Something floated by, just on the edge of his hearing. A low, desperate moaning. Of course, the Widows. He remembered the legend well. About the wives of fishermen who walked the cliffs of Widows' Hill, mourning their lost loves.

Walking down a flight of stone steps, Duo wandered away from the great house. Maybe all he needed was a breath of fresh sea air. Anything to clear his head. Heero insisted that the legends of Collinwood were getting to him. Could he be right? Just because Cassandra looked like Relena's portrait, did it mean she was the same woman? Any more than he could be Jamison?

On the edge of the misty forest, the spirit of Daniel Collins clutched his hands together, watching worriedly...

Cassandra pulled back the silk curtains and stared down at the forlorn figure heading out toward the rocky cliff. A wicked smile passed over her beautiful face. Opening the window, a breeze filled the room.

She stared ahead, her arctic blue eyes glowing in the darkness.

"The time has come," she whispered. "Your fate was sealed almost two hundred years ago. You cannot alter your destiny. There can never be any escape from me. For the curse will find you and fall upon you."

Leaning forward, her eyes concentrated on Duo. "Let the curse begin this night. Carried by the wind until it finds its way to the image of one you loved so long ago."

A few feet from the edge, Duo peered deeply into the waves crashing against the jagged rocks. Something about this spot seemed so familiar. He couldn't shake the odd feeling of deja vu no matter how hard he tried. All these years he'd been drawn to Collinwood. Perhaps there was a deeper meaning after all...

"Weren't thinking of jumping, were you?" a voice asked.

Duo whirled round to find Cristoff approaching from the shadows. "Cristoff, you scared the life out of me!" he exclaimed.

"Did I? I'm sorry." The strange, tall man moved in close to Duo.

"Why did you think I might jump?" Duo asked him, curiously.

Cristoff shrugged. "Well, you wouldn't be the first. That young woman worries you, doesn't she?"

"I can't help it," Duo said, not knowing why on earth he should be confiding in this man. Then, he looked at him with suspicion. "What a minute! How did you know about her?"

"Look at me," Cristoff insisted.

Somehow, Duo could not resist the deep, commanding voice. He turned, and found a pair of eyes blazing intently into him.

"I can make all of your worries and doubts fade away," Cristoff told him. "Is that what you want?"

"Yes," Duo heard himself saying.

Cristoff opened his arms. "Come to me, now."

Uncontrollably, Duo moved toward him. Why was he doing this? Soon, he felt the other man's arms around his body. Duo went completely limp against his touch. Licking his lips at the exposed, tender neck, Cristoff leaned in and placed his mouth against it. In the process, he pulled Duo's shirt down over his shoulder.

Softly, Duo moaned. He closed his eyes and imagined that the Japanese beauty he'd fallen in love with was lightly kissing his neck, knowing full well what a hot spot it was.

In an instant, a flash of light filled his mind. He could see himself and Heero standing on this very cliff... but they were dressed so differently... in period costumes....

Suddenly Cristoff's fangs sank down. Gasping with pain, Duo remained still in his arms. Holding him to his body, Cristoff sucked and began to drink the precious fluid. Blood ran out beneath his lips, forming a little river down Duo's shoulder.

Duo's face scrunched up, and he mouthed 'Oh God' while his hands clawed at Cristoff's back. Slowly, he fell backwards to the ground. With Cristoff lying on top still drinking, Duo stared up into the velvet night sky, a tear in the corner of his right eye. Then his eyes drifted shut and his head sank to the side...

-TBC-

A/N: Hope you like this and thanks for reading. Please review and I'll do my best to keep pumping out chapters.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** What's mine is mine, what's theirs is theirs. I don't own these characters and would very much not like to be sued.

_**-Chapter 10-**_

Cristoff drank from Duo's jugular until the mortal was perched between the chasm of life and death. Then, with a gentleness that would have surprised all those that knew the bloodsucker, Cristoff withdrew his ivory incisors from the soft artery. The Vampire licked at his own plump, red lips, savoring Duo's life's fluid until the very last drop. Cristoff had wanted so badly to take the beautiful man, to the brink and then into the beyond. Delivering him over to the other side via an exotic ritual of ecstasy and agony.

The lonely Vampire had desperately wanted a partner, someone whom he could keep by his side for all of eternity, he wanted Duo to be that special someone. Only a few short century's ago, the vampire had intended to take the young Jamison Du'pre as a spouse.

But then Spencer Collins appeared and Jamison's blinders covered his purple eyes so that he could see no other's face, save for Spencer's after that.

The old vampire sighed softly as his erection ebbed. He gently set Duo on his back into the soft, moist grass. Come morning, Duo would be fine, as Cristoff had not completed the 'coming over' ceremony by forcing the younger man to drink his own blood. Duo however, would wake up with one hell of a headache and a newfound libido.

Cristoff smiled, with Heero as a love interest, Duo's increased sex drive would no doubt be a welcome side effect.

The only reason that Cristoff had not brought Duo over, or killed the beautiful man was because that while he drank, his highly attuned emotions had tuned into Duo's. And the vampire saw the images that ran through the Preventer agent's mind. Duo thought of Heero and no one else. Only Duo's love for the prussian eyed man had saved Duo from becoming a blood dependent immortal.

Cristoff understood, that if he claimed Duo for his own: the man would pine for his one true love and would continue to do so through out all of time. Now, whether or not Relena would win the heart of Heero, that was the unanswered question. Cristoff knew that despite her bold assertions, Relena would not play the game by the rules. She would call forth any and every spell she knew in order to bewitch Heero into pledging his body and soul to her.

Not wishing to spend all of eternity at the king of the underworld's feet: Cristoff could only hope that Duo's love for Heero would prevail.

Cristoff smiled and standing up he backed away from Duo, a plan formulating in his ancient mind. He knew how possessive Diablo was of his favored creatures. Perhaps he should pay the great one a visit to tell him of Relena's 'real' intentions toward the Japanese mortal.

"Wake my love." Cristoff whispered, then his body transformed into a puff of smoke and he was gone.

* * *

"What a dump!" thought Quatre morosely. After locking the thin door, he threw his travel bag on the bed and followed it down. 

With a heavy sigh, he pulled out his cell phone and tried Duo's number.

And once again, all he received for his efforts was his friend's cheerful, "I'm unavailable, leave a message that you won't be embarrassed for others to hear."

Quatre hung up before the message finished and tried to dial Wufei and Trowa's cell phones. But because of the storm, whose ferocity was increasing, the transmissions could not break through. He picked the landline, deciding to go that route, but there was nothing but dead air. Somehow he thought that the phones' going out was probably normal for this area, and for the time of year.

"At least I still have power." Quatre said to the old-fashioned dial phone.

As if to prove that his optimism was misplaced in this place, the lights went out, blanketing him in total darkness.

"Shit. That's the last time I go for the glass is half full philosophy." He slammed down the phone and fished the small halogen flashlight that he always kept in his jacket.

A few minutes later, after discovering that there were no other means of lighting the tiny room, there was a knock at Quatre's door.

"Mr. Winner." Called a female voice.

Quatre opened the door and greeted the cook who doubled as a chambermaid in the day light hours.

"Hello. I'm glad to see you." Quatre invited the cook in by sweeping the way for the middle-aged woman with his flashlight.

The cook walked over to a small table and placed the tray she was carrying on top of it.

"Your dinner." She said with a smile, lifting the silver dome that covered the top of a very large bowl of seafood chowder. Accompanying the chowder was a small, hot loaf of sourdough bread with a small bowl of whipped butter and a small plate of raw vegetables and ranch dip. To drink there was a large stein of micro-brew beer and a pitcher of iced water and a glass to go with it. She pulled a barbecue lighter from her apron pocket and lit two large, fat pillar candles that she had brought up along with the food.

"They don't give off very much light, but at least you can see."

"Thank-you." Quatre said, twisting his light off and pocketing it. "The food smells delicious." He had not eaten since the morning and his mouth was watering.

"Your welcome." The cook went to the door and opened it, hesitating for a second. Deciding, the cook turned and said, "You should not venture outside tonight, it's far too dangerous to be out alone. If you need anything, Rueben will fetch it for you. And if you should hear screams from outside, ignore them, it's only the wind, it always wails like an old woman during storms like this." With that, the cook was gone, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Quatre pondered the woman's words as he secured the door, wondering if the lady was warning him or simply giving him good advice.

* * *

Heero returned from the kitchen, carrying an antique tray with three mugs and a large pot of earl-gray-tea. He set the tray down, along with the tea, were small bowls of cream, sugar, honey and lemon. Virginia, though conspicuous in her absence had thoughtfully prepared the tray and left it out on the counter. 

Heero sat down across from the late night guest and smiled nervously. Relena (I'm not going to call her Cassandra anymore—we know who she is) was staring at him so intently that he was starting to feel uncomfortable. He broke away from her intense gaze and glanced down at his watch. Duo had been gone for almost half an hour now and Heero was becoming worried. Duo was only supposed to step out for a minute, just for a breath of fresh air. Though the storm had abated, it was now picking up again and Heero couldn't stand to think that his lover was out there, wondering, lost in thoughts of ghosts and reincarnations with out the benefit of a jacket.

"Don't worry for Mr. Duo, Spence.…... uhm …...Heero. I'm sure he'll be fine." Relena picked up the pot, her delicate hands seemed too small for the over sized crockery, but her hands did not waver as she poured out a cup of tea.

She offered some to Heero, but distracted, he waved her off.

"What did you just call me?" Heero got out of his overstuffed chair.

"I called you Heero..." Relena stood too, chastising her self mentally for making the simplest of mistakes. Spencer Collins had changed over the millennia, it was time she realized that.

"No, you called me Spencer." Heero walked over to the window and pulled the curtains, his worry for where Duo was came out in the form of anger. Whirling around he half yelled, "Look, my name is Heero not Spencer I'm not some reincarnate of your long lost love."

"Mon Cher, don't upset your self." Relena approached Heero and tried using her special gift of a hypnotic voice to 'soothe' her intended.

But it was not working, the younger man was too worked up over his missing lover, Relena could feel his emotions raging within his self.

"Listen lady, I am not your love. I don't know you and you sure as hell don't know me!" Heero turned his back to the beautiful woman and continued to stare out the window, his eyes focuses out into the distance. A bolt of lighting zigzagged down from the dark skies and lit up a peculiar dark rock on the distant cliff. It took Heero a few seconds to realize that the overly large lump was actually Duo's still form. But once he did, he spun quickly and meant to leave.

Relena knowing that Heero had spotted Duo; tried to intercept her reluctant man.

"Wait a minute." She said, wrapping an unearthly strong grip around Heero's thick wrist. "Please don't go."

Heero briefly dropped his eyes and examined the delicate hand that had such a strong hold on him. Then he raised them again and gave the visitor a sweet, innocent smile. He covered her small had with his own and caressed the spot between thumb and palm seductively, then he dug his own strong thumb in and broke the grip.

Surprised by the pain and by Spencer's very un-chivalrous like actions, she cried out and pulled her hand away.

"I may look like this Spencer, but make no mistake, I am nothing like him. Don't ever try to come between Duo and me. Cause, I have no compunctions about hurting a woman if I have too. I'm no pussy."

With that said, Heero took off running for the front door and within seconds, he was on his way to Duo, who had started to stir.

As Relena rubbed the feeling back into her hand, she realized that Spencer or rather, Heero was more firmly attached to this Jamison than he was to the last one. Perhaps because he had no brother this time, to 'influence' his decisions. Relena did not like the pain that her loved one had caused her, nor did she appreciate his words. It would take her some time to get used to feeling emotions along with the earthly pains and pleasures of existing in a human body again. Relena went back over to the window and looked out over to the two men. She had excellent eyesight, and did not need the aid of light to see her Spencer gently pulling Jamison into an embrace.

"Their love is too strong. They were cursed with never being together and your curse is that you'll never have him. You need to understand that."

Relena heard her faithful maid Virginia speak. She was standing near the table that held the tea.

"Such words Ginny. You cut me with them."

"It is because I love you that I tell you the truth." Virginia picked up the tray.

"I will have him, come hell or high water. No matter what the cost."

"I know mistress." Virginia, though holding the tray, made no motion to leave the heavily shadowed room.

When Heero helped Duo to rise, Relena scowled. Cristoff was supposed to have taken care of Jamison. She had sent the damnable man out onto the cliffs, serving the handsome Jamison up on a silver platter for the irritating bloodsucker. Why had he not finished the job?

"Where is Cristoff?" Relena inquired, her voice haughty now.

"I don't know." Virginia said, knowing that it was time for her to leave the room before Relena took her fury out on her.

Alone again, Relena knew that Virginia had spoken the truth to her.

**-TBC……**

**A/N:** -_pause_- I'm still alive. Almost. I just don't have the time to write what I want anymore right now. I'm halfway through college and it sucks, but I'll thank myself for my education later when I can actually appreciate it when I get an awesome job. Anyways, updates are much slower and sporadic. I have the ending of this story almost done, so it will probably be my first finished story..; Heh. Well, review as always. Tell me if it sucks or not, just try not to hurt my delicate feelings. Kidding. -_grins_-


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